Memory of a Moment
by AurigaCapella
Summary: Five years after the war is over, Katara and Zuko see the people around them moving on romantically. These two are still stuck in a moment that happened five years ago - a moment in memory neither can forget. Zutara, Sokki.
1. Chapter 1

**Memory of a Moment**

**I don't own ATLA, but I love it so much I am compelled to write more.**

**You may notice this is the first piece I've submitted in about five years. Crazy how time flies, huh? Prepare for some Zutara awesomeness. Eventually :).**

**Update: Thanks, hootowl - changed it to philia.  
**

**Chapter 1**

Five years didn't seem like all that long when it was spent cleaning up after a power-mad despot.

Gazing up at the large stone tower, the largest of three in the center of the city, Zuko grimaced at the fluttering red flag depicting a curved black dragon consuming a yellow circle. He could almost hear the evil laugh escape the dangerous mouth. The flag had been Ozai's standard for most of his reign. Now that Ozai had been deposed, it was one last charming vestige of a dead regime. Apparently in this remote Fire Nation village, named Hanoi for a reason long since forgotten, the people were unaware that the flag was out of date. Hopefully they would take the change in stride. Zuko wasn't in the mood for another rebellion.

This was the last in a series of 'personal calls' Zuko had had to make periodically over the last year or so. He had received reports that certain of his cabinet-members' subordinates had not taken kindly to the recent change of power. Zuko couldn't see why; in terms of trade, both the dual Water Tribes and the Earth Kingdom were much more open with him than they were with his father. Moreover, Zuko had made sure that all reparations for his father's horrific acts of war were paid with interest. The Earth kingdom wasn't quite as friendly as they hopefully would be in time, but they were at least shaking off their collective bedside manner. The Fire Nation was looking good for once in thirty years.

But some of his subordinates just never got past the idea that the Nation needed to rule all in sight. Zuko was traveling personally to convince them otherwise.

"My Lord, I think that may be General Wu, there. With the long beard? Stooped over? Hacking up a lung?"

"I see him, Sokka. He was a war hero in his younger days. Maybe show a modicum of respect."

"You say that, but an old war hero from the Fire Nation equals an old invader of the Water Tribe." Zuko quirked his mouth and gave Sokka an exasperated look.

"Alright, fine, I'll show respect…"

"Thank you."

"…to his face, anyway." Zuko sighed, but let Sokka have his way. He knew Sokka was giving up a lot of his Water Tribe pride just accompanying him on this voyage. But Sokka, now General Sokka, was one of the best navigators the world over, and even after Zuko had relinquished all the lands Ozai had conquered, the Fire Nation was still massive. Add to that the thousands of little, tiny, impossible to find island villages, and Sokka was a necessity. If only his mouth was a little duller.

"You know, Sokka, you don't really have to attend the negotiations."

"Funny you call them that, Zuko. I think 86% of the previous negotiations you've attempted have ended with you stripping the local leader of his title and setting up a younger, more pliable counterpart." Zuko clenched his fists at that and growled.

"I've tried to negotiate with them! Every time I tell them they can keep their stupid leadership! But no, they have to be all 'Ozai was my king' and 'Banished princes don't tell me what to do' and 'blah blah you have a scar on your face!' They're lucky I don't banish them to the coal mines in the Earth Kingdom!"

"You know, I like you more now that you've learned to express your frustration without burning me to a crisp."

"Shut up, Sokka." The stocky water tribe peasant was rubbing off on him. Zuko composed himself and ignored the snickering of his two bodyguards before stepping forward into the courtyard that was now shadowed by the large tower. "General Wu. I am honored to finally meet you. I've heard much about your accomplishments under my father."

"Your father was a ruthless idiot. I hope you aren't planning on following in his footsteps." Zuko was taken aback by the stooped old man's bluntness, but grinned.

"I think we're going to get along just fine, General."

Hanoi was his.

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"Mai! Mai, what are you doing? Your class is starting in five minutes!" Mai spun the hooked knife idly along her fingers. Why again had she asked this pushy female to help with her school? Ah, yes. Waterbender master. She had thought that the presence of a proficient waterbender on the teaching staff would draw more of the liquid-pushers to enroll. A month, and still no one. An on top of that, she had to put up with Katara's annoying tendency to boss. Everything. That moved.

"I know when my class is, Katara. I'm just finishing up my break." Only a trace of Mai's annoyance entered her bland delivery, but Katara had known her long enough to pick it up.

"Mai, it's not like I'm trying to push you around, I just…I just wish I had a class to teach, and you already do, and I'm feeling all…stressed. I guess. I'm…sorry." Mai raised an eyebrow at that. Apologies from the peasant, huh? She must really be stressed.

"Katara, it's only been a month. Just wait. The applications take a while. I'm sure you'll have some students in no time. In the meantime, just do what you do best. Organize and boss. Just don't boss me, okay?" She attempted a smile, which she knew only came off as a slight lifting of her cheeks, but Katara picked up on it and grinned.

"Thanks, Mai! You're always so nice to me!" Katara spun and swept into the main building, trusty clipboard in hand. Five years ago, Mai knew she wouldn't have heard that sentence from anyone. Five years was a long time, though. People changed. Relationships changed. And that, thanks to the universe for its unending sense of humor, brought Mai back to thinking about Zuko.

At least now Mai could think of him without the feeling of pain that had twisted her chest a few years back. It was annoying, though, to associate the idea 'relationship' with one that was failed before it started, an association of two people who barely liked each other, even though they loved each other. At least, Mai had loved him. But that was all in the past. Mai sighed and thought out loud. "I need a boyfriend."

As she said it, Mai _knew_ Ty Lee was right behind her. Thank you, universe! She tried to recover her slip-up. "You didn't hear me say that!" Ty Lee just giggled.

"Matchmaker time!" Mai's face fell, sliding off her skull and landing with a plop on her lap. What had she gotten herself into?

Mai really was a good friend, Katara thought as she sped down the corridor, her divided skirts swishing against her legs and giving her an air of business to the passing students. And Katara knew that she would get her own students eventually. It was just frustrating to wait this long, especially because she had only agreed to help Mai start up this school because she thought she'd have the chance to apply her bending skills. She had been getting a little rusty up in the air temple with Aang, and this was the perfect opportunity to refresh her skills.

Of course, that wasn't the only reason she had left the temple for this shiny new school. But it was the primary one. It was! The other was slightly more subtle, and it grated on her to admit to it. She had needed to get away from Aang. There, she had said it, at least to herself. But it was the truth. Aang had loved her from the moment he had set his eyes on her, but Katara had known from the time she turned 16 that she could never love him back the way he wanted. But she had stayed with him for a year following that revelatory birthday because she felt guilty for her lack of feeling. She had tried desperately to feel for him some small amount of affection, but she just couldn't do it. He was like a brother to her, nothing more, nothing less.

But so what? So what if she couldn't love him? She could still stay with him because he was her friend, right? But Katara had slowly realized that although she could live with that arrangement, Aang could not. He had confronted her one day as she washed his clothes in an outside fountain, reveling in the feel of the water twisting at her command. He had spoken again his words of love and hope for their future, and when she only smiled, he had pressed his hand to her heart, looked down into her eyes – down! He had gotten so tall – and asked a simple question.

"Katara, do you love me?"

And try as she might, she couldn't force her lips to shape an affirmation, because she knew he wasn't asking about _philia_ – brotherly love. He was asking about _eros_ – passionate love. And Katara gave Aang the only answer she could give. She shook her head softly from side to side, feeling physical pain as Aang dropped his hand and lowered his head. "Then you can't stay with me."

She fought it, of course, but try as she might she couldn't get past the logic of his reasoning. He needed to get over her, and he couldn't do that if she was constantly around him. So that ended that. Aang was her friend, would always be her friend, but she couldn't stay by his side any longer. So she left.

She left the temple and headed to the Earth Kingdom. Toph was kind enough to offer her a place to stay. She didn't feel called to the water tribe, because neither her brother nor her father was there at the moment. Her father had been recruited as a temporary (but quite long term, now) member of the leading council of Ba Sing Se, as a demonstration of solidarity between the Water Tribe and the Earth Kingdom and the impartiality of the Order of the White Lotus. Her brother, strangest of all, was cruising around the world with Prince – or rather, Fire Lord – Zuko, acting as a sort of navigator. Katara was a little miffed that Zuko hadn't asked her to come instead. She was a much better navigator than her brother. Of course, she hadn't seen or spoken to him since a solitary letter she had sent four years since asking how he was received a four-word reply.

_Katara,_

_I'm fine._

_-Zuko_

The thankless idiot. The least he could do would be to write about his Uncle, or his work, or something! She had saved his life! A-after he had saved hers. By jumping in front of a bolt of lightning. Katara remembered his golden eyes holding hers captive as he thanked her, her glowing, water encased hands still able to feel the sinewy muscles of his chest as he drew in shaky breaths. Something old and familiar rose in her chest but she fought it down. She noticed a few straggling students looking at her curiously and hoped to Yue she wasn't blushing. She hustled them off to class. This was ridiculous. He was a Fire Lord. And that had been about the last time she had seen him! Five years is a long time. And she was employed by his ex-girlfriend. Who was proficient with sharp objects. No need to rock that particular boat.

Katara sighed and tried to think of something else. Leaning against an open alcove a few feet from her office, she pondered again about how she had ended up at the Ba Sing Se Girl's School for Bending. A year into her stay with Toph, she had received the missive from Mai, and intrigued by the idea and longing for a way to feel relevant, she had decided to agree to the arrangement. Which had brought her here, to the sprawling blue-stone school in a suburb of Ba Sing Se. If she ever got any students, then maybe she'd feel more like the old Katara, the Katara who defeated firebending masters and stood toe-to-toe with rulers and never backed down from a fight. This new school-marm gig wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

**So there's your first chapter! Swish it around in your mouth, take in the aroma. We have only just begun…**


	2. Chapter 2

**Ah, a second chapter. Already. How benevolent of me, no? BTW I had no idea I would write Mai in a likeable way. I actually think she is going to have an interesting story in this. I hated her in the series. Go figure.**

**Thanks for the reviews so far!  
**

**Chapter 2**

As the airship sailed across the darkening sky, Zuko allowed himself to finally feel the satisfaction that had been gnawing at the back of his mind from the moment he saw his father's outraged face and clenched hands, devoid of firebending, condemned to a life behind bars for his near-genocide of the Earth Kingdom. Wu would be a complicit subject, and a good leader to boot. Zuko wouldn't have to worry about any trouble from that quarter. He let out a long sigh, like a breath he had been holding in for five years.

"What do we do now, oh almighty Fire Lord?" Sokka appeared beside him. He was munching on a chunk of bread he had probably filched from the storage room. Zuko suppressed a laugh. His build might be bigger than before, but Sokka never changed.

"I suppose we could always visit my crazy sister at the Institution." Zuko suggested, not really meaning it.

"Ugh, the creepy black building in Roth? Noooo thank you." Zuko barked a laugh at that.

"You're afraid of the building and not Azula?" he asked. Sokka grimaced.

"It smells weird in there! Ugh, so CLEAN. And all the doctors with their creepy white coats. It freaks me out." Sokka said. Zuko smirked.

"Right. And when have you ever been to the Institution?"

"I haven't exactly been there, but I visited the area and Suki dared me to go in and give the orderly a wedg-SUKI!" Sokka looked alarmed.

"Sokka? What is it?"

"Oh, man, I completely forgot! What day is it?"

"Uh, the 26th of-"

"The TWENTY-SIXTH? Oh, CRAP I'm getting MARRIED in TWO DAYS!"

"Huh." That was all Zuko could say.

"That's all you have to say? I have to be in Ba Sing Se in two freaking days to get freaking married and all you have to say is HUH? It's like what you said when I told you about Yue!"

"Well, it _was_ rough! That was a proper descriptor!"

"Yeah, if I had just lost my favorite boomerang, not if my first love turned into the MOON!"

"I was a teenager, what other kind of response do you expect?" Zuko glared at Sokka.

Sokka sighed and took hold of his frustration. "Fine, whatever. But you're gonna have to get me to Ba Sing Se."

"Who gave you the right to order me to come to your wedding?" Zuko demanded. Sokka smiled.

"You're gonna be my best man."

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"Who is that guy, Ty Lee?" Mai lifted her head from where it had been resting against her hand. The man she was referring to was standing outside in the courtyard, rocking back and forth on his heels and staring up at the sky.

"That, my friend, is your blind date for tonight!" Ty Lee looked ecstatic and sat on Mai's desk. Mai glared up at her.

"Do you really expect me to date some random commoner you've found wandering around in the streets of Ba Sing Se?" She asked. Ty Lee grinned.

"Of course not, sister-friend. This guy is no commoner. He actually runs a small independent nation up near the Northern Water Tribe. His name is-"

"I don't need to know his name! There is no way I am going on a blind date with him!"

"Using the blind jokes when I'm not around, Mainess?" Toph wandered into the room. Mai glared even harder even though she knew Toph couldn't see it. Toph had been serving as an adjunct earth-bending instructor ever since the first teacher Mai had employed, Hatsume, had run off with the annoying, glasses-wearing handyman. He had been a jerk, and she had been a doormat, so really, Mai didn't miss them.

"Don't tell me you're actually helping Ty Lee with this ridiculous matchmaking plot?"

Ty Lee pouted. "Well when you say it like _that_, it doesn't sound nearly as romantic."

Toph grinned and leaned against Mai's desk. "Listen, I don't really go in for romance, but you've been shifting more and more into the realm of Frigid Female ever since Zuko broke up with you-"

"I broke up with HIM!"

"-and you need to learn that there are other fishes in the sea. Come on, this won't hurt a bit. Plus it will give Katara the chance to run the school for the day. You know she loves running things."

Ty Lee, who had been attempting a handstand on the corner of the desk, noticed that the conversation had stopped, and lifted her head to note that Mai was glaring at her. "Hehe. Just…getting some practice in." She let her legs fall gracefully to the floor and beamed at Mai. "Hey, who knows? This could be your soul mate! Why not give it the old one two?"

Mai could see that she wouldn't extricate herself from this predicament easily. She sighed. "Fine. Tell Katara she has directorial power for the day. Just make sure she doesn't schedule any sing-alongs or anything stupid like that." Toph smirked, Ty Lee giggled, and both of them dragged Mai out to the courtyard, working whatever makeover magic they could on the way. As a result, Mai's hair was down completely, her cheeks were pinched into a healthy-looking glow, and her collar was undone to show a hint of cleavage. Mai would have been scandalized had not the sky-watching rocker-man turned and smiled at her. He had a nice smile. If Mai had been capable of it, she would have blushed.

"I'm Georg. Nice to meet you, Mai." Mai crushed a sliver of indignation at the lack of a title. She _was_ still a Lady, even if she and her family weren't on speaking terms. But she would let him off this time. He was new. She forced a smile, which was much easier when his dark eyes twinkled in amusement. What was so funny? She was so bemused she almost didn't respond until Ty Lee elbowed her. Hard.

"Oh! Ah, oh. Very nice to meet you, too." She reached out her hand, and he took it. Warm, calloused. He wasn't a dainty ruler, at least. Perhaps this might not be so bad after all.

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She took it back. Oh, yes, it COULD be so bad. It could be so very, very bad. The man sitting across the café table from her was moronic at best. Granted, he was attractive. But aside from that, Mai couldn't stand to converse with him for one hour, let alone consider dating him! Ugh, the instant they entered the bustling restaurant, he had transformed from a confident-seeming, attentive chaperone to a simpering, giddy, bumbling idiot. He burst out with another laugh.

"Oh, la!" _La? Really?_ "That outfit our friend the waiter has on is so droll! I thought red suits went out of style the moment Ozah began the war – what was it – twenty-five years ago? Hahahaha!" Mai glowered at him, but her ire glanced off him as if he were made of porcelain.

"You mean, I assume, _Ozai_?" Georg rested his brown eyes on her for a moment before bursting into another short laugh.

"Oh, OZAI! Hahaha! I completely botched his name, didn't I? Well that was a bit ridiculous of me, I MUST say." Mai just looked at him in disbelief. The man was insane. Why in the name of everything that is right did Ty Lee think this man would be a good match for her? Mai grabbed her purse and started pulling out a few coins, but Georg's hand shot out and grabbed hers, stopping her progress. Confused, she looked up, catching his eyes. He looked serious, for once.

"Mai. If you're going to leave, at least allow me to pay the bill." Disconcerted, Mai leaned back in her seat.

"Oh, no. I wasn't…" She felt in her purse with her other hand and fished out a mirror, frantically thinking of an excuse. "I was just looking for this." She held the small circular mirror up and smiled. He smiled back, comprehending her explanation. He didn't look like he bought it, though. He leaned forward, looking as if he was about to say something. She smelled the mintiness of his breath. But then something clattered in the kitchen and he sat straight, letting go of her hand.

"Hahaha! Well, I'm glad! Because this meal is just going to take your very BREATH out of your LUNGS, it is so exquisite! I recommend the seared clams. I think they're shipped in all the way from Yarminth!" Mai closed her gaping mouth.

"You mean Yarmouth?"

"Oh, haha! You caught me again! How silly of me! Hahahahaha." Mai let him laugh and cursed herself for not just dropping the money and leaving. There was something seriously wrong with this man.

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"Dude, whatever happened to Mai?" Zuko choked on his soup and raised a napkin to his mouth, coughing furiously. Sokka whacked him on the back. "Get it out, man. Can't let you lose to a spoonful of liquid, can we?" After a few seconds of hacking, Zuko sat up, composed, if a little red from the effort.

"Why exactly are you suddenly asking me about Mai?" Zuko and Sokka were eating a late dinner in the mess hall of the airship, now about a half a day outside of Ba Sing Se. A few other straggling soldiers chatted noisily around the hall, and Zuko really didn't want to talk about his failed love life in front of them. Sokka had no such reservations.

"Well you two just seemed made for each other. Like two peas in a pod. She was bored, you were boring, it was perfect!" Zuko gritted his teeth.

"Can we not talk about this now?"

"Why not, buddy? Best man?" Zuko sighed. He had to admit it was pretty flattering to be Sokka's best man. Sokka was using that flattery to his full advantage.

"Fine. Mai and I, we just never had any real…chemistry. I don't know if that makes any sense."

"But you loved her."

"I thought I did, at first. But I found out what real love felt like. And I couldn't have it, and it sucked. But I couldn't stay with her once I'd discovered that."

"U-huh."

"Is this getting too complicated for you to be interested anymore?"

"Yes it is." Zuko laughed at Sokka's response, but Sokka hit the table with his fist.

"WAIT a minute. HOLD on, there, Sparky. What do you mean, you felt real love? Wha ha ha? For WHO?" Sokka was grinning in anticipation. Zuko had forgotten he was so smart…

"Gah, no-one, it doesn't matter. That happened a long time ago. And nothing happened! Just forget I said anything!" Sokka crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair.

"Too late. Sokka's investigation has now begun."

"Sokka!"

"Nope, nothing doing. I will discover this woman if it is the last thing I do."

"Wait, please-"

"And you shall become her husband, and she your wife-" he had slipped into an impression of Uncle Iroh – "and you shall be wedded for allllll everafter." He nodded his head to emphasize the declaration. Zuko smirked.

"Not sure you want to matchmake this one, buddy."

"Oh-ho-ho! You know not the true ways of Sokka of the water tribe!" Sokka started laughing maniacally, drawing the attention of nearby soldiers, who started pelting him with insults and leftovers. He perked up. "Sweet! Free food!"

And _you_ don't know that you would never let me have the woman I love in a million years, Zuko thought, remembering the feel of her hands on his chest…

**Who could this mystery woman possibly be? Hehe. Feel free to weigh in your opinion. I'd love to hear what you think of the story so far! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for the reviews, everyone! Here's the next chapter for your reading convenience. **

**InItToWinIT – thanks for the thought on names in chapter 2. Definitely hadn't even crossed my mind for Bretta. I went back and changed it. It allowed me to work in a subtle manga reference, so more's the awesome. +10 points if you get it.**

**Think I'll keep Georg, though, since he's supposed to be from a 'small independent nation' which is apparently similar to Germany. I've been watching Sound of Music lately. :)**

**Chapter 3**

Katara was poring over papers when Suki dropped five hefty shopping bags on her desk and clenched her hands at her chest, the picture of giddiness. Knowing the reason behind that giddiness, Katara stood from her chair, bit her lip and let out a high-pitched, excited squeal, smiling as exuberantly as her friend. "!" Suki nodded and started jumping up and down, laughing all the while. Katara joined her, grabbing her hands and circling the desk to stand in front of Suki. "It took so long! But it's finally done! That's so exciting! Can I see it?" Suki let go of Katara's hands and continued dancing around the room while Katara stopped to catch her breath.

"The dress-" (bounce) "is in" (plié) "the fitting room of Hannah's shop! You HAVE to come see it now!" (spin) "Put away your crazy writing implements and away we go!" Katara almost did just that but remembered that Mai was gone, leaving her in charge.

"Gah! No, I can't now! I'm supposed to be running the school while Mai is away." Suki stopped dancing.

"What? Mai never leaves these hallowed halls! What in the world could possibly get her to leave on a school day?" In response, Katara hunched over conspiratorially. Suki's eyes widened and she stepped closer. "Ooooh what is it what is it?"

"I heard from Toph that Mai is currently out on a-"

"How good of you to broadcast my private affairs to the world. Hello, Suki."

"Ha! Mai, you startled me." Katara leaned back and acted nonchalant. "I was only telling Suki. You _know_ Suki. That isn't broadcasting." Katara smiled. Mai put on a long-suffering look and jerked her head toward the door.

"I had to squeeze through six of Toph's eavesdropping, earthbending students to get in here. Believe me, you were broadcasting, whether you intended to or not." Katara grinned sheepishly and shifted the focus of the conversation.

"So, how did it go?" Mai only sighed.

"Serves me right to give in to Ty Lee's machinations. Suffice to say she shouldn't quit her day job."

Katara tsked. "That bad, huh?" Mai just shook her head and sat down at her recently vacated desk, staring sideways out the window.

"Go back to your classes!" Mai shouted suddenly. Katara heard the scurrying feet of a few extra students who had been listening at the window. Mai rubbed her forehead. "You have no idea. I'll be happy to relate the whole torrid tale out of earshot of these children."

Suki glowed with eagerness. "Oh this I HAVE to hear." Mai looked up quizzically.

"Don't you have a wedding to plan?"

"Eh, it's tomorrow. Juicy news can always be fit in."

"But what about your bachelorette party?"

"You're coming, right? You can tell us ALL then!" Mai looked at an expectant Suki and Katara.

"Fine. But no laughing."

"We'll do our best, but no guarantees." Katara grinned. "Oh, Suki, I forgot. I bought those purple sashes for the bridesmaid dresses you wanted." Katara lapsed into wedding lingo and Suki was only too pleased to do the same. They wandered out of Mai's office and headed towards The Dress, brimming the whole way.

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The bachelorette party consisted of a relatively small group of rather loud females, including Katara, Suki, Toph, Ty Lee, and Mai. They sat in a quiet café by the name of Tonbo's, about two blocks from the school.

"Are you sure you didn't hear about this place from Ty Lee, Suki?" Mai looked suspicious, but Katara wasn't sure why.

"Of course not, Mai. This was my favorite café next to Jang Geum's, and Jang Geum's was booked solid, so we came here. Simple as that." Mai still seemed annoyed.

"Mai," Katara prodded, "Why do you ask?"

"Nevermind, it's nothing." But Ty Lee perked up as if she remembered something.

"Oh yeah! I forgot! This is the place you and Georg went this afternoon!" Ty Lee looked pleased even in the face of Mai's disgruntlement.

"GEORG?" A collective inquisition issued forth from the intrigued women.

"Who's that?"

"Is that your new man?"

"What's he like?"

"Is he handsome?"

"Is he smart?"

"Is he monotonous like you?"

Mai held up her knives threateningly and her friends stopped asking, trying to suppress giggles. "Ahem. He was a blind date Ty Lee so GRACIOUSLY set me up with, who is NOT my new man, who acts like a complete fool half the time and confuses me to death, who is, admittedly, handsome, who doesn't seem very smart, and who is DEFINITELY not monotonous. And who I will NOT be dating a second time." Mai sat back, satisfied that she had provided enough information to satiate them.

"Huh? Like how handsome? Like Zuko handsome, or more of a lighter, paler handsome like Sokka?" This from Suki, who didn't notice Katara's expression redden slightly before she asked a second follow-up question: "Ooh, and what do you mean by confusing? Like mysterious confusing, or annoying confusing?"

Mai frowned, but answered.

"Well, he's sort of brown, scruffy handsome, if that makes any sense. And he confused me because sometimes he seemed genuinely nice and smoldering, and then we sat down in this café – actually that table right over there – and he started acting like a complete buffoon. I don't get it."

"A buffoon? What did he say?" Katara asked, trying to ignore her heated cheeks.

"How did he say it?" Toph asked.

"Smoldering? Smoldering handsomeness? This I gotta see!" Suki was excitedly bouncing on the cushioned couch she was sitting on. "Ooh you should definitely go out with him again. Ty Lee, can you arrange it?"

"Already done! I talked to him after he left you, Mai, and he said he'd love to meet you again!"

"Oh, Mai, isn't that great? Smolder man is yours again!"

"Smolder man, ha, good one."

Mai just groaned.

A little later in the evening, the women had moved back to Katara's small apartment and were lounging in her living room, Suki said something that shook Katara to the core. "Oh, Sokka got in about an hour before the party, by the way. He looked great! And no, Toph, he didn't see me in my dress." Toph stopped blowing on her party whistle long enough to nod in satisfaction.

"As it should be."

"And Zuko was with him. He looks so much taller than he was before! More muscular, too. He must be training a lot since he became Fire Lord." Suki filled a fourth glass of mulled cider and sank into the cushions of the couch she shared with Toph.

"Should you really be talking about the muscles of another man the night before your wedding, Suki?" Mai asked, not seeming at all to care about Zuko's arrival.

"Mai, I will always be happy to discuss male muscles, even when I am married." Suki grinned.

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Katara did not have nearly as much success as Mai seemed to have in dealing with the news about Zuko's arrival. Zuko was here, in the same city as she, at this very moment. If she wanted to, she could run out of this building to the hotel he and Sokka were staying at and see him, talk to him. She could tell him all the thoughts that had been running through her head for five years, the emotions that had led her ultimately to break Aang's heart, realizing she did not love him, and never could.

She remembered again that one moment in time that had seemed to stretch out for an eternity. Him, lying back on the pavement, an ugly burn slashed across his bare chest, obviously in pain. Her, leaning over him, wondering if he was alright, still feeling the adrenaline rush from defeating Azula mixed with an overwhelming gratitude toward him for saving her life. She had gloved her hands in water and placed them on his damp chest, and he had locked his golden eyes on hers. She had looked away and finished healing the burn, but suddenly became aware of the feel of his muscles moving regularly with his breathing, and noted that as she continued to move her hands slowly over those muscles, the heartbeat that thudded in Zuko's chest quickened. Katara's eyes flitted back to his face. Zuko's eyes darkened. He opened his mouth and Katara almost pulled back, afraid of what he might say, thinking of Aang and Mai. But he only thanked her. Katara's eyes filled with tears, and not able to help herself, she dropped the water from her hands and reached up to cup his face. She wanted to say so much, but was made speechless by the feel of his skin under her fingers. He was so warm! So loyal. So selfless. So wonderful.

And a realization hit her so fast she let out a small "Oh." Zuko quirked an eyebrow and smiled slightly, but instead of asking her what she meant, he grabbed the hands that cupped his face and drew one to his mouth, kissing the palm softly. Katara's hand burned as if it had been seared with a hot iron, but she didn't feel any pain. Only heat. She gulped. Zuko turned his eyes back to her, and she realized she had leaned down to within inches of his face. He reached for her cheek as if to caress it, and lifted his head ever so slightly. She closed her eyes in response. She felt the warmth of his breath on her lips, and parted hers ever so slightly, and…

Nothing. That was it. The moment ended within three minutes of its inception, cut short by the appearance of Sokka and Toph. Yay, we won. Woohoo, the war is over. And Zuko was bustled off to become Fire Lord, was basically destined to marry Mai, and Katara left with Aang to the spend the next five years wondering What If. Zuko had been about to kiss her. That was the objective truth. He must have felt something for her.

But that letter! So brief, so…normal. She had no reason to believe Zuko still had any sort of feelings for her, and even if he _had_ felt something in that moment, he was dating Mai the next second! It was ridiculous to harbor hopes regarding the Fire Lord. Katara would just have to let this childish attachment go and meet him on normal, uncomplicated terms. Yes. No blushing, no nervous shuffling, no giggles. Just a normal conversation between two people who had saved each other's lives.

Simple.

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**Hah, we'll see how well you carry out that particular goal, Katara. Silly girl. **

**Feel free to tell me what you think! **


	4. Chapter 4

**This is the new and improved version of Chapter 4, with some pretty extensive changes re: costuming and wedding format. Thanks so much for the constructive criticism, InItToWinIT! I find I don't usually pay attention to clothing when I write, which is why I was lazy and forgot to put them in Avatar-world wear. This is a good exercise for me, though. Keep the comments coming!**

**Nephertiri – I really appreciated your comment. Both of my sisters are married, and I felt the exact same thing as I watched it happen. Bittersweet is a perfect word for that moment. Hope my changes didn't ruin the original flow of the ending that you liked so much.**

**Chapter 4**

Zuko paced the floor of the small sideroom he and Sokka had ducked into in order to hide from the wedding coordinator. She was kind of frightening. His mind, however, wasn't on the wedding at all. It was on Katara. He would see her today. Sokka had said that she was one of Suki's bridesmaids. He wondered if she had changed at all. If she had cut her hair or kept it long. If she had grown taller, or curvier, or if she had stayed the same. He knew her eyes hadn't changed – those blue eyes which had bewitched him and led him to do something he had regretted doing for years. Well, not exactly regretted. Kicked himself for.

Why had he done that? Reached up to kiss her when he _knew_ she loved the Avatar? Based on an "Oh?" Really, Zuko? "Oh" could mean _anything_. She could have been saying "Oh, your wound has healed nicely," or "Oh, I forgot to freeze Azula's left arm," or "Oh, your scar is really ugly up close!" Why in the world did he think that that one-syllable utterance warranted a make-out session? Idiot idiot idiot idiot.

Zuko had upbraided himself like this less and less frequently over the years, but now that he was about to see her again, he couldn't help but return to the memory of her deep, blue eyes trained on his, the feel of her hands cupping his face, her innocent expression as he leaned up to capture her lips with his.

Zuko smacked his forehead and let out a groan. Sokka hit him on the back and went back to adjusting his outer sash. It was made of blue silk, and Sokka was trying to tie it in the traditional Southern Water Tribe fashion. "Only the groom is allowed to act sulky, pal. You're supposed to be encouraging me." At this moment, Zuko noticed that Sokka was sweating.

"Ah, is the water tribe peasant NERVOUS?" Zuko crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. Sokka glared at him.

"I don't know why I brought it up. Don't you have something useful to do? Like get ready?" He had somehow managed to tangle the sash around one of his arms, effectively fixing it, bent, against his chest. He frowned at it accusingly.

"Dude, I was born ready. I was ready before you even knew you were marrying Suki." Zuko gestured to his deep green robe, his own black sash perfectly arranged, his longish hair swept back slightly out of his face.

"Well la dee freaking da. Agh! I can't get this stupid thing!"

"Here, let me." Zuko expertly freed his friend from the trap he had woven for himself and stretched the sash around his friend's waist, once, then twice. The translucent blue silk took on a deeper hue when it was pressed against the indigo robes Sokka was wearing. Zuko crossed the ends of the sash at Sokka's front, then looped them around his upper arms, bringing them back together in a loose knot which hung to Sokka's waist. Sokka grimaced and stretched his arms in front of him, loosening the sash's grip.

"Well, at least best men are good for something," he said.

"What, you want me to fix your hair and carry your flowers, too?" Zuko asked, smirking.

"Dude, no. Just, no." Sokka continued his stretching ritual. "Man I'm nervous! Am I shaking? I feel like I'm shaking."

"No, you're not – hey, stop moving around so much. I'm gonna have to fix the stupid sash again." Zuko tried to deter Sokka, but Sokka ignored him.

"Well, I'm getting MARRIED. That's kind of a huge step for me. I mean, no more playboy fun, right?"

"Sokka, you dated precisely two women in your lifetime. I wouldn't call that playing the field." Zuko picked up a carrot from the vegetable tray someone had left for them.

Sokka muttered something that sounded like "mumble grumble two women that YOU know about mumble mumble" and Zuko rolled his eyes and took a bite. Sokka sighed. "Well, whatever. It's still something I've never done before. And it lasts forever. I'm gonna be married on the day I die."

"Isn't that a good thing?" Zuko asked. Sokka considered it, then smiled slightly.

"Yeah."

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Katara smoothed the folds of her bridesmaid dress and stared in the mirror. As far as bridesmaid dresses go, it wasn't half bad. No, she probably wouldn't wear it again, but it wasn't hugely expensive and she had convinced her dad to foot half the bill. It was made of a fluttery, green material, with a scooped neck and an empire waist. The sleeves were so long they reached her knees, and were made of a lighter, translucent material that shimmered slightly and moved at the slightest breeze. Because of their length, she had to keep pushing them up her arms. This was going to be a fun day…

Her hair was twisted around her head in an elegant braid, and two wisps hung down over her ears, hinting at the dual loop style she had worn often when she was younger. Pretty turtle-duck-shell beads were scattered throughout the braid. She had to say, Toph was pretty good at doing hair, given her inability to see the final product.

"Thanks, Toph. I love this style!"

"No problem, Sugarqueen. I wore my hair like that once during a banquet my parents held for some foreign dignitary, and lots of random people complimented me, so I assume it looks snazzy."

"SO snazzy." Katara laughed and Toph joined in. Toph had opted to wear her long, dark hair completely down, her layers shaping her face quite becomingly. Toph had gotten a lot cleaner and more refined over the years. She still earthbended something fierce, of course, and wasn't averse to participating in a tournament or two to show off her skills. But from the blunt, dirty 12-year old had emerged a beautiful, witty, smart young woman. Which made Katara wonder quite often, why didn't any men seem to pursue her?

She almost asked her shorter friend, but at that moment Suki burst in in her wedding dress and all Katara could do was grin, ooh and ah while Suki spun, showing off. The dress was a green so pale it hinted at white. A skilled artist had sewn in ivory thread complicated patterns of peacocks and abstract swirls delicately throughout the bodice, with one, long peacock feather stretching the length of the dress, curving up slightly where the skirt brushed the floor. A long, ivory-colored ribbon was woven through her wavy, shoulder-length hair, its two ends escaping at her neck and hanging down at her sides, almost reaching the floor. Katara noticed that Suki's cheeks were damp, and grabbed a handkerchief.

"Suki, are you crying?"

"No, no. I'm just a bit emotional. I do NOT want to be one of those brides who sobs their way down the aisle. It would ruin my makeup!" Suki dabbed at her eyes with the kerchief. "And besides, this is a wonderful day. One of the best days of my life, right?"

"Definitely," Katara assured. Toph moved towards Suki and started feeling her dress.

"Ooh, soft! Is it pretty, Katara?" Toph turned her head towards Katara's form.

"It's absolutely stunning." Katara turned to Suki. "You're absolutely stunning, Suki. And yes, this is the best day of your life, because although you're marrying my idiot brother, you love him and he loves you and nothing is going to change that." Suki sniffled and smiled.

"I know. I know that. I love him so much!" And Suki hugged Katara, lightly of course so as to avoid crushing the dress. "Oh, time! We have to be out there! Oh, Katara, what are we missing?" Suki looked frantic.

"Everything is fine, Suki. I have your bouquet, the wedding coordinator is going to direct us down the aisle, and Toph and I are ready to be your bridesmaids. Now let's go." On the way down the hall toward the sanctuary, Katara mused. "I still think it's weird that Sokka is having his distant cousin serve as his second groomsman."

Toph smiled slightly but said nothing. Suki just kept moving. Katara was puzzled, but before she could say anything, they were at the doors, and Suki was fidgeting, and the music was playing, and the doors opened…

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"How did I GET here?" Sokka whispered to Zuko, trying to keep his mouth from moving as they stood at the front of the crowded church.

"Pretty sure you asked someone to marry you and she said yes." Zuko hissed back. "Now buck up."

"Guys, let's not fight on such a holy day!" The bald young man to Zuko's left punched Zuko lightly. Zuko elbowed him back.

"Way to follow your own creed, Avatar!"

"Why is it that when _you_ say Avatar it sounds like a curse, FIRE LORD?" Aang had raised his voice above a whisper, and a heavily-painted woman in the second row coughed meaningfully and gave them a look.

"Stop it stop it stop it! Ask a simple question, start a fight." Sokka was still whispering, but he had given up on hiding his mouth movements. The woman coughed again, and Sokka smirked and leaned back to Zuko. "Someone get that woman a lozenge."

It is a generally accepted rule that the time you are most likely to laugh is the situation when it is least appropriate to do so. Hence the moment the doors opened to reveal Toph, all three of the men at the front of the room burst out laughing. Toph frowned, and Aang noticed.

"Guys! Guys, stop!" Aang gave Zuko another punch for good measure. Zuko covered his mouth and choked down another laugh. Sokka stopped immediately, remembering his nerves. And Aang had no problem at all stopping, because Toph looked so different he had to stare at her. Toph shook her head in annoyance, but stepped forward at the urging of a bustling, fat woman Aang assumed was the coordinator he had heard about.

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This self-same coordinator was getting on Katara's nerves. _She_ was the maid of honor, for Pete's sake. It was _her_ job to make sure Suki had everything she needed. But no, this stupid, fat woman just _had_ to run _everything_. Katara sighed and stepped in front of the open doors after Toph had started walking. As soon as she darkened the door, her breath caught in her throat. Zuko was staring straight at her, his expression inscrutable. He was a bit taller than before, his hair a bit longer. His eyes were the same. Katara felt heat creeping into her cheeks.

A bit of movement next to him caught her eye and she glanced to his right. The blood immediately drained from her face. She cleared her throat, leaned back and spoke out of the side of her mouth. "Suki! You didn't tell me Aang was going to be here! What happened to the cousin?" Suki smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry, Katara. That was kind of a white lie. I knew you'd just get all worked up over your ex showing up, so I, I dunno…"

"So you thought just springing Aang on me in the middle of your wedding would be a good idea?" Katara seethed. Her face was getting red. Not good. Did makeup conceal mortification?

"Miss Katara, you have to start walking! The timing is going to be simply RUINED if you don't move now!" The sweaty, red-haired coordinator tried to usher her into the room, but Katara resisted, shooting the woman an icy glare that had her shrinking back. Katara swung back to Suki and slipped behind the wall so no one could see her.

"Seriously? How in the world am I supposed to act now? The last time I saw him I broke up with him! Painfully! Why in the world did you wait until today?"

Suki smiled and waved toward the temple entrance with her left hand. "You can't hate the bride on her wedding day."

"Suki!" Katara complained. Suki gritted her teeth.

"Don't ruin my wedding, Katara! Get over it! Just walk!" Katara huffed at that, but composed herself as best she could and walked back into the doorway. She glanced at Zuko, who looked a bit confused that she had disappeared, and noticed the corners of his mouth turn upwards slightly. She looked pointedly away, swatted off the coordinator's pushy hand, and stepped forward, pasting a smile on her face that did nothing to hide her discomfiture. The coordinator shook her head.

"Really. Think of her, messing up your timing for something so silly."

Suki moved into the doorway confidently. "Don't insult my friends, Akane."

Katara mechanically moved one foot in front of the other. She was humiliated that Aang was here. Doubly so because Zuko was here to see her humiliated that Aang was here. He probably thought they were still together! Katara kept her eyes on the nice-looking priest at the front of the sanctuary, willing herself not to glance over at Zuko or Aang. Because of her racing thoughts, she didn't notice that Zuko's sparkling eyes were glued to her movements all the way up the aisle. He only broke his gaze when Suki took her place at the back and the music stopped. A single drum started beating slowly.

Thud…Thud…..Thud…

Katara turned to face to the crowd and wiped some sweat from her brow, but had to smile when she saw Suki step into the doorway. Toph smiled complacently. Sokka gulped in wonder and let his mouth fall open. Zuko smiled, and Aang clasped his hands and almost looked as if he would cry. Katara thought she heard him say something like "It's so beautiful!", but focused on Suki. The crowd stood as one and marveled at the beauty of the bride.

The drum increased its speed.

Thud…Thud…Thud…Thud…

And as Suki moved closer to the front of the temple, another drum started beating in time with the first, but slightly off the beat:

Thud _Thump_…Thud _Thump_…Thud _Thump_…Thud _Thump_…Thud _Thump_…

_Like a heartbeat_, Katara thought.

Suki reached the front of the large, open room. She tossed her flowers to Katara and in one smooth motion turned to face Sokka, grabbing the two long bits of sash that were hanging from his shoulders. Sokka, his hands shaking, reached toward her neck and gripped the ivory ribbon. As one, they slowly pulled at the material, dragging the other person closer and closer until Suki was looking straight up at Sokka, grinning, and Sokka's toes were tapping against hers. They raised their hands, still holding the fabric, and clasped them together.

The drums stopped.

As if she knew Sokka was nervous enough to faint, Suki rubbed her hands encouragingly over his. As the priest began, they beamed at each other, and Katara forgot all about her humiliation. She caught her brother's eye over Suki's shoulder and gave him a quirky thumb's up, which he returned nervously. Her brother was getting married.

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**I kinda like the new ceremony. Thoughts?  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**Woo, chapter 5! Thanks for all the helpful comments, everyone. **

**Nephertiri, thanks so much for your thoughts! I felt the same thing when my sisters got married.**

**In case you hadn't noticed already, I uploaded a modified version of chapter 4 yesterday, which has a lot of changes based on InItToWinIT's comment on costuming (a really good point that I hadn't picked up on while I was writing). The wedding scene is very different now, representing my take on a water tribe/earth kingdom ceremony. You may want to skim over chapter 4 again, because chapter 5 flows from that version.**

**Chapter 5**

Mai was happy to note that seeing Zuko did nothing for her. She felt no regret, no twinge of attraction. Perfect.

At the front, quite a distance from Mai's seat at the back of the room, Sokka and Suki were now weaving the intricate knot consisting of her hair ribbon and his sash, an action that marked the halfway point of the ceremony. Mai thought it interesting that the two lovebirds were technically married once the knot was complete, but knew from Suki's descriptions that they would sit down themselves and observe a series of traditional dances symbolizing and celebrating their promise.

Mai had almost decided that to enjoy these dances herself when someone plopped down next to her and threw an arm lazily behind her shoulders.

"Georg, what are you doing here?" Mai whispered, keeping her eyes forward. She knew it was him from the spicy scent that had puffed against her face as he sat. Although how she would have remembered what he smelled like, she had no idea.

"Ty Lee invited me. Said you wanted a second date." Georg grinned and Mai picked it up out of the corner of her eye. Curse him for having a great smile. She scratched her nose to hide any discoloration her face might have had and subtly shifted in her seat away from him. He noticed and followed her along the bench for a little bit, her shifting, him sliding slyly, until she reached the edge and had to either fall off, get up and leave, or give up. She chose the final option, but gave him a look for her trouble. He only smiled back. "Beautiful wedding."

Mai agreed in a word but refused to talk any further. Georg didn't pick up on her mood, because he continued to drop whispered comments and questions throughout the ceremony, and almost got her to laugh out loud a couple times. "Who's the guy who seems so frowny up next to the groom? Does he have nerve damage that prevents him from smiling?" "They did NOT just have Ty Lee perform an interpretive dance! Are those scarves? Pinch me before I start laughing hysterically." He held out his arm. Mai bit her lip to stop her own laughter, and pinched him as hard as she could, mixing her annoyance with him with her frustration with herself. He winced and nudged her with his shoulder. "Ouch." Mai looked up expecting to see a pained expression, but he was smiling softly at her. It took her too long to break her gaze away, but she did it, feeling the blood warming her cheeks in a way they never had when she was with Zuko. This was not good.

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Katara wandered amongst the revelers at the huge banquet following the wedding. It was a nice set-up; they had decided to hold it in the huge square in the center of the city, and hadn't spared any expense on the décor. Huge swathes of colorful cloth tumbled from ten marble columns arranged on either side of the square, while beaded chains of gold and topaz drew geometric patterns in the space overhead. Some hung low enough to brush the tops of the huge hats the older ladies had decided were in fashion this season. This made for a sort of drinking game among the adolescents, who took a sip of fruit punch whenever a hat brushed a chain. If a hat fell off completely, the entire glass had to be chugged and refilled.

Katara watched this game for a while, smiling absently as she did so, hoping the distraction would serve to take her mind off things. She had seen Zuko pass by about ten minutes ago, sipping from a goblet and looking interestedly at a large tapestry covering a serving table, but had ducked out of sight before he had noticed her. She did not have the wherewithal to confront him yet. She was still composing a script of exactly what she would say to him in her mind, and it wasn't quite finished.

"Hello, Fire Lord," she would say, her face tipped upward, a picture of haughty disdain. Well, scratch the disdain. Make it disinterestedness. "Lovely wedding, isn't it?"

And he would probably respond with some sort of pleasantry and start looking around for Mai, for whom he probably still carried a torch, and Katara would pull her hand to her mouth and gasp and say "Oh MY! Is that Junpei? I had no idea I'd see HIM here!" And Zuko, of course, would turn to look, but she would distract him somehow (she still hadn't quite figured this part out) and work in something about how Junpei was an on-again off-again romantic interest of hers, but oh she didn't have time to chat with him right now because she had so many people to see.

And Zuko would look jealous and Katara would blush and drag him away into a corner and gaze into his eyes and reach up and-

NOT kiss him because that would defeat the purpose of the conversation! Haughty and disinterested! Haughty and DISINTERESTED!

Ahem. She would somehow bring the topic of conversation around to the ridiculously short letter he had sent as a reply, but would not of course get worked up about it – she would simply let him know that in most civilized circles such a letter would be taken as an insult. She would inquire as to why he thought four words constituted a proper response, hear his answer, and then dismiss him from her life as easily as she dismissed a student from her office.

There. Katara thought she had it now. Now to find Zuko. She turned from the column she had been hiding behind and headed toward where she had seen him last when a young male voice called to her from her left. "Katara? Is that you?" She turned toward the man.

Aang.

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Cursing under his breath, Zuko grabbed another goblet from a passing server. He had been looking for Katara for the past twenty minutes. He had to remember to be more discreet, though. Every time he had said two words to a woman of any age – even the six-year-old daughter of a dignitary – Sokka had popped up with a knowing grin and asked Zuko to introduce him to this "potential mystery woman." Zuko had tried to get Sokka to just leave him alone ("don't you have a wife to get back to?"), but it was to no avail.

Stupidly, Zuko had let slip at the beginning of the banquet that the mystery woman was in attendance. Sokka the investigator was on the loose, and Zuko definitely did NOT want Sokka to know the woman was his own sister. He had enough crazed, over-protective hotheads on his council to deal with without adding an extra general from the Water Tribe. Sokka was probably the type to torture information out of any potential suitor for a week before allowing them even a first date with Katara. Zuko knew he had to get to Katara first.

Zuko's stomach twisted nervously. He still didn't really know how things stood between Katara and Aang. They hadn't come to the wedding together, which suggested that maybe they weren't dating anymore. And Sokka had said a few things during their travels that suggested that the two were no longer an item – Katara had been teaching in Ba Sing Se for a while; Aang had been in absentia for a couple years. But he couldn't just _ask_ Sokka if the two were still together – that would be as subtle as a flying bison playing hide-and-seek. Moreover, there was no reason Katara would necessarily be single, even if she wasn't dating Aang. And even if she _was_ single, there was no reason she would want _him_.

Maybe the reception wasn't the best place to talk to her. Maybe he could just wait until later, when Sokka wasn't breathing down his neck.

He turned slightly and noticed Katara across the square. The night lights hit the beads in her hair and gave her a sort of halo of fireflies. His chest constricted. Maybe he wouldn't wait, after all. He moved to approach her – subtly, of course – but then registered who she was talking to. The Avatar. Zuko searched her face. She was smiling. She was laughing. And Aang was beaming back. Zuko's heart plummeted into his stomach. Maybe all this time Katara had been loving him long-distance, and Aang had just returned and they were planning their honeymoon together. Zuko may have been catastrophizing, but the scenario made some sense, on Aang's part, at least.

Zuko remembered a particular conversation that had kept him in the Fire Nation and away from Katara for years after he had broken up with Mai, kept him from even responding properly to Katara's letters. Well. Her one letter. He had been sitting next to Aang in one of the dining halls of the palace, relaxing after a long day of peace talks. Aang had leaned his head on his arms and mumbled something. Zuko had asked for him to repeat himself.

"I love her so much, Zuko." Zuko asked Aang who, although he already knew the answer. "Katara. She's been with me from the moment I woke up in this century. She's guided me, mothered me, healed me, comforted me. She's been right by my side through it all. I don't think I can live without her." Zuko looked down at his food, unsure what to say. Aang took his silence as a friend listening in interest and went on. "I just, I think when I'm a little bit older I'm going to ask her to marry me." Zuko flinched at this, but hid it by coughing.

"Do you." Cough. "Do you think she loves you back?" Aang groaned.

"I don't know. I don't know! I mean, I think so. I hope so. She kissed me. Well, I kissed her first, but then we…mutually…kissed. It was perfect. Her lips are so-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. I mean, uh...well why don't you…why don't you ask her? If she loves you, I mean." Zuko didn't want to hear about Katara's lips from Aang. The memory of his own almost-kiss with her was fresh in his mind.

"See, I don't feel like I'm…wise enough. I mean, I know I'm over a hundred, but mentally, I'm still a kid. No, I mean it," Aang said, cutting off Zuko's attempt to disagree. "I'm a 12-year-old kid. Which is why I need to wait. Please. I need time to grow up before I can ask her as a man to be mine." Aang here lifted his head and looked straight at Zuko, his face deadly serious. "Please, give me that time."

And at that moment, Zuko understood. Aang knew. Of course Aang knew. He had to know that Zuko was at least interested in Katara. How could he not? Zuko had stared at Katara during the campfire dinners whenever he thought no-one was looking. He had used 'bending practice' as an excuse to get physically close to her time and time again. He had even touched her hair softly while she slept, once, and heard a sound, and brushed it off as a mouse. Aang had probably seen it all.

Aang didn't call him out, though. He simply held Zuko's gaze and waited. Zuko grimaced, but bowed his head in assent. "Of course you need time. And I need time, too. I have to rebuild the Fire Nation, lead it during this tumultuous time. Without…distractions."

"And marry Mai?" Zuko jerked his head up.

"I don't know." The Avatar's eyes had turned dangerous then. Zuko almost glared back. _Sorry, kid_, he thought, _you aren't getting rid of me that easily_. Zuko wasn't just going to bow out. He had never been the gracious type. Yes, he'd let the Avatar have his chance. He wasn't even sure whether his attraction towards Katara meant anything at all. In the meantime he would see if he truly loved Mai, and if he married her and the Avatar married Katara, then so be it. But if Katara _didn't_ love the Avatar…

After a stalemate of a few long seconds, the Avatar smiled. "Thanks for the talk, Zuko. I'd better get to sleep. Meeting with the Northern Water Tribe tomorrow, right?"

And things had returned to normal. Aang and Katara had left for Ba Sing Se, Zuko had taken on his duties and resumed his relationship with Mai, and the only ripple on the tranquil surface was that single letter she had sent him.

_Hi, Zuko! Oh, sorry – Fire Lord. Still sounds so weird to me. _

_Everything's fine here. I'm still bending, Aang's still trying to save the world. Haha. Kinda wish I could see you again, though. It's been so long. How have you been? _

Katara had inked out a couple words here that Zuko could barely read: _Do you…_ Do I what? Zuko had spent many a night wondering what Katara had been about to ask.

_Hope you're doing well ruling the world and all that. Give my love to Uncle Iroh, and tell him I'll send him those papaya nuts he likes so much – you know, the ones that only seem to grow in the air temples? _

_I miss…everyone. Write back._

_Katara_

But the letter had been sent bare months after she had left, and Zuko was bound by his promise to Aang, so he had tried to fend off Katara's friendliness by responding in as cold a manner as possible. But that letter had brought every feeling he had ever had for Katara back into foreground, a foreground that stood in even starker contrast against his own relationship when Mai swished into the room, and in a moment Zuko knew he did not love her.

He loved Katara.

He had thought he might have a chance with her now, since he had given the Avatar his time and had brought the Fire Nation into a new era. But now, staring at the laughing couple, Zuko just let out a bitter chuckle and gulped down his drink, stalking off in the opposite direction.

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**Ahhhh. Zuko is back to being bitter…I feel a bit more comfortable with the world. :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey, everyone! A fresh new chapter, just for you.**

**Miyuki, hope this chapter allays your fears of a Sulky Avatar. I don't like sulky Aang, either. :)**

**BTW I saw the movie last night. Opinion in brief: not as horrible as the critics are saying. Not awesome, either, but I really enjoyed it. Dev Patel rocked as Zuko, and there were hints of Zutara. I just hope they make a second one!**

**Chapter 6**

Mai was sure she had eluded Georg. She was sure of it! She had even borrowed Ty Lee's black silk wrap in a hasty attempt to disguise herself against his notice. So she was justified in jumping a little when she heard his voice at her ear. "Found you!" Mai spun around to face him. She had had enough of this.

"Are you normal Georg, or crazy Georg?" She asked flatly. He frowned.

"I don't know what you mean. Ooh, dancing! Lovely! Come, my sweet, let us revel in the movement of the music!" Mai sighed, but let him drag her out onto the dance floor.

"Crazy Georg it is, then," she continued as Georg started circling her, enacting strange, interpretive movements. Mai would have been embarrassed if she hadn't been so angry. "Georg, I can't take this." He didn't seem to have heard her. She tried again. "Georg. Georg! Why are you _acting_ this way?" Mai suddenly heard herself shouting at him, and she stopped, stupefied at her own outburst. Georg had stopped dancing and was staring at her, his face suddenly serious. He stepped closer and seemed to be about to collect her in his arms. His eyes almost looked like they were pleading with her as he spoke softly.

"Wait." And then he had stepped back and continued the strange dance as if he had never paused. Mai felt her face infused with redness, but whether it was from his closeness or her exasperation she didn't know. She stayed glued to the floor by the earnestness of his plea, but as the seconds passed she just couldn't resolve the ridiculous dancer with the genuine, confident man he became on a moment-to-moment basis. She shook her head.

"I can't." Mai walked off the floor and headed straight for the edge of the square. She saw Aang as she passed by, who was conversing with Katara, but set her expression to her usual bland mask so they wouldn't think anything was amiss. They were smiling at each other like lovebirds, so she guessed they were too engrossed to notice her.

At least one thing was going her way tonight.

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Katara's face hurt from smiling so much. "I'm so glad you're doing okay, Aang. So glad." Aang smiled back.

"Yep. You, as well, I hope?"

"SO great. Teaching, and all that."

"Oh, so you're a bending teacher?"

"Well no, not yet, but I will be. Soon. Hopefully."

"Oh, well that's great." Aang's grin was getting bigger. Katara tried to make her smile wider, too, but found it difficult.

"Yes, I think so." Seriously, her cheeks were going to fall off. Why were they both still smiling? Was there a reason for it? She was only doing it because he had been grinning since he had called her name, and it seemed ungracious not to smile at someone who was beaming at you.

"I'm happy for you."

"Haha, thanks." This was colored a bit by her discomfort. Aang smiled even _more_ broadly, if that was at all possible.

"Sure."

Annnd they had run out of material. Katara tried to continue smiling politely, but she was running out of energy. How could Aang keep it up for so long? She couldn't understand it.

"So…I'm actually really thirsty. I think I'll go-" Aang perked up.

"Ooh, I'll get you some punch!" And he was off, using a puff of air to send him flying over a group of revelers to get to the drinks table. Katara groaned. It had been a fair attempt at extrication. Now she would have to wait for him to get back. Or maybe…no, she couldn't just slip away. He was her friend, no matter how awkward the situation was.

But then he took longer than she expected. This was a bad thing because it allowed her time to think. Rather than thinking about unimportant subjects, she decided to think about why Aang would be acting so attentively towards her. Her conclusion was a stretch, but let's give her some credit. She was really tired at the time.

"Oh no," she thought. "He must still love me." And without a second thought, she slipped away. Aang showed up moments later, looked around, and seeing no Katara, wandered over to Toph, who had been observing the whole conversation.

"So was I nice enough, you think?"

"Eh. Technically your vibrations were SUPER nice." Toph added a bit of sarcasm to that statement. "But Katara was royally freaked out." Aang's face fell.

"What? Does she still think I hate her because she dumped me? I was trying to make it clear I was still her friend." His voice had a slight whine to it. Toph stomped her foot, sending a column of rock under one of his feet and making him lose his balance.

"Stop worrying about it. She doesn't hate you." And she walked away. Aang wobbled slightly, but regained his balance and called out after her.

"What?"

"You overkilled the niceness, and she thought you were acting strangely. That's all."

"Where are you going?"

"Stop acting clingy."

"Toph, come on, you're the only person here I can talk to. Sokka's with Suki, Katara's gone…" Aang's voice faded away as he followed Toph around one of the columns.

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Past the inner buildings she walked, past the old temple, past the silent market, out towards the hanging gardens. At this point she realized she had been running, and she slowed and leaned against the railing of a small bridge that arched over a creek, breathing heavily. A few drops of water sent ripples along the surface and Mai was puzzled, because the sky was clear. She reached up to her cheeks and felt wetness. Tears.

"Oh, great! Just GREAT! I'm not supposed to care about him!" She sniffled but kept yelling at the stars. "He's too strange! He doesn't make sense! He's confu-"

"Mai." She cut off at the sound of Georg's voice and turned towards him. He was standing at the end of the bridge, hesitating to walk any closer to her. He looked concerned. Mai pounded the railing and glared at him.

"You're confusing! I don't understand what is WRONG with you!" She stepped closer to him. "One minute you're this engaging, sexy, smoky, interesting guy, and the next you're bumbling around like a fool!" She had continued stalking closer to him and now she was huffing up into his face. He only colored slightly and a shadow of a smile ghosted across his mouth.

"Sexy?" He asked. Mai crossed her arms.

"THAT is NOT my point and you know it!" He leaned forward, but still didn't touch her.

"Smoky?"

"Georg!" She pushed at his chest and he caught her hands in his. He let his gaze linger on her cheeks and lifted one of his hands, smoothing his thumb across the tears that had almost dried completely.

"Mai, I'm sorry for making you cry."

"I wasn't-"

"I probably should have been more open with you. I kind of thought this would be something we could laugh about. Maybe we still can, later on. I haven't ever been alone with you long enough to explain." Mai sniffed. She felt cold when his hand left her cheek and he turned away from her.

"Explain what?"

"Ugh, how do I begin?" He passed his hand over his unkempt brown hair and turned back towards her, locking her eyes with his. "Rulers in my country are a dime a dozen. Before I took the throne, we had been through three different kings in a matter of days. More political intrigue than even the Fire Nation, you see." Mai snorted.

"I find that hard to believe."

"Oh I've heard of Zuko's troubles. I guarantee that the minor annoyances he had to deal with are nothing compared to the underhanded tricks our governmental system has up its sleeve. For one thing, it was public knowledge that at least two of those three rulers had been murdered by an opposing party." Mai dropped her hands to her sides.

"Murdered?"

"Yes, well, I guess you could call it assassinated. But the practice has become so common that people no longer _want_ to rule the country. It's a liability. They just want to put up some scapegoat so they can direct from behind the scenes where it's safer."

"And how did you become a scapegoat?" Mai asked, leaning her arms against the railing but keeping her head turned towards him.

Georg started pacing along the bridge. "My father had been a great king, back in a time before the political climate turned so…corrupt. A few of the nobles who still had a bit of honor left decided that I might be able to stop all the backstabbing and bring our country together again. So after my predecessor, Bonhoff, took his last breath on the floor of the state room in a pool of his own blood, I was hastily instated as king."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that." He walked back to stand next to her and gazed out at the river.

"You didn't…kill him, did you?" Georg looked a bit hurt at her question, but smiled sadly and answered in a soft voice.

"No. No, Bonhoff was my friend. I was sad to see him go. But because of his death I knew I had to take his place and try to finish the job he had been convinced he could do."

"Oh." Mai paused and listened to the creek bubble under their feet. She looked up into his eyes. "So why the crazy act?" The blunt edge to her voice made Georg bark out a laugh.

"That was Bonhoff's plan, actually, though everyone knew him too well for it to work. I had been living far from the capital for almost ten years, so no one had really interacted with me. It was the perfect setting." Mai looked confused, so he smiled and crossed his arms. "If people think you're an idiot, they don't see you as a threat." Mai quirked an eyebrow.

"Wouldn't they want to get rid of you if you were acting so incompetently?"

"Not in my country. An incompetent ruler is easily pushed around. Rival factions thought I was a moron, but wanted to keep me in power because they thought they could influence me. And all the while I've been cunningly twisting their crafts toward what I actually want, and they think the opposite faction is doing it! It's perfect!" He started laughing then, quite pleased with himself.

"So you act like a moron when you're thousands of miles away because you're practicing for when you return?" Mai kept her eyes on the water, but her ears were trained on his voice.

"Not exactly. You see, not everyone buys my little act. Someone has sent spies along with me to see how I act when I'm not in court."

Mai started looking into every shadow in alarm. "So they're watching you even here? In the Earth Kingdom?"

"Only in public places, at least so far. They're cowards, remember. In private I might…confront them." It explained the bipolar behavior, then. He could only act like himself if the spies weren't watching him. Mai mused at that thought, but then another burst like a red flame in her mind.

"They could kill you at any second." Georg stopped laughing.

"Of course. But I'm making so much progress compared to everyone before me that I –"

"You could die at any moment!" She punched him in the shoulder. "How considerate is that? You stupid royal-"

"Now, now, let's be ladylike with our insults-"

"How dare you make me fall for someone with a life expectancy of 30!" This she yelled, and she covered her mouth, coloring slightly. Georg paused and stared at her for a moment, but then a smiled creased his eyes and he burst out laughing yet again. Mai glared. She wasn't used to being laughed at. She almost told him so, but then he stepped so close to her she could feel his breath ruffle her bangs. He touched her shoulders briefly and then ran his hands down her arms, tangling his fingers with hers, pulling her closer to him. She refused to look up, and stared at the movement of his adam's apple as he spoke.

"Mai. You're perfect for me. Ty Lee was so right about you." Mai looked up at that, and then she couldn't look away, because his eyes were exactly as she had described them to her friends last night. They were smoldering.

"Right about what? That I'm dull? Bland?"

"Fiery. Determined. Stubborn." He lifted a hand to her cheek, and curved the other around the back of her neck. His smile was gone, replaced by something entirely different. "Beautiful." And then Mai couldn't say anything because he was kissing her, and to her surprise she was leaning into it with a fervor she hadn't ever felt before. He turned his head and deepened the kiss. Mai shivered and bent her left leg slightly, letting her shoe drop with a thunk to the ground and gripping his shirt to stay balanced. He murmured something against her lips and pulled back with a smile that lit up his eyes. Breathless, she gave him an inquiring look. "Don't fall over."

She whacked him.

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**Yay, beta couple happiness! **

**If anyone can guess who I'm basing Georg on (from movie heritage), you get a cookie.**

**Comments and criticisms welcome, as always.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Next chapter! Major Zutarage happening here, after the long wait. **

**murtaghismyhottie gets a cookie for guessing that Georg was based on the Scarlet Pimpernel, which is a great movie that everyone needs to netflix.**

**Fair warning, I'm going to be AFK for a few days and probably won't be able to post another chapter until Friday or Saturday. My apologies for the wait! In the meantime, tell me what you think of the story so far! I'm a glutton for reviews…:)**

**Chapter 7**

Zuko moved resolutely toward the two-storey creekstone building he had chartered a room at for his brief stay, ignoring the strange feeling in his stomach. Originally he had regretted his need to leave so quickly after seeing his friends, but now he was only too pleased to escape Ba Sing Se for his lordly duties. His cabinet was still expecting his report on his recent expedition, and this little side-trip hadn't been easy to procure.

He ran through a mental checklist of things he had to do before he could leave for the Fire Nation. Set up a date for a second round of negotiations with the Earth Kingdom. He could do that in the morning before leaving. That would give him another excuse not to talk too much to…anyone. Say goodbye to Sokka. That one would be tough. Maybe he could catch him sometime tonight…but then he glanced over to the raised platform where he and Suki were dancing, their hands never leaving each other, their eyes locked almost dreamily. Yeah, he wasn't going to see Sokka again tonight.

He'd send a letter. Yes, that would work just fine. A simple letter of congratulations. Sokka wasn't particularly soft, and he knew Zuko wasn't one for gooey goodbyes.

Toph and Aang (cough cough) he could talk to in the morning before he left. He would need Aang next to him to set up the negotiations, anyway, and Toph would be representing the Earth Kingdom. Say goodbye to Mai? Eh. From the way she was interacting with that tall, brown-haired man at the edge of the square – someone from the kingdom of Hertzer? He had the same coloring – she probably didn't care whether Zuko lived or died, so that wasn't an important farewell.

Which left Katara. He wasn't sure if he could handle a conversation with her. He wasn't sure what he would do. He certainly wouldn't start bawling bitter tears of regret, or cling to her and beg her to leave Aang for him, but he _would_ be feeling the tension of his own desires warring against reality. Katara was fairly sensitive to moods, and Zuko didn't want to risk her picking up on any of his inner turmoil. Then she might have pitied him. Pity was something he had had enough of over the years.

Zuko had almost achieved the doorway of the small inn when a friendly, aged voice called out to him. "Nephew!" Zuko stopped short. Ah, yes. His uncle. That was one more thing he had to decide: whether to take his uncle with him or leave him here as an ambassador in the Earth Kingdom. If Iroh wasn't staying, Zuko would have to come up with someone else from his cabinet. He wasn't sure he trusted too many of them with the potentially volatile peace talks yet. They still lived by the fire in their veins.

Thinking to discuss this point with Iroh now, he was nonplussed when the hefty commander grabbed his arm and almost wrestled him in the opposite direction. "Nephew, I haven't gotten to talk to you since you returned! I trust your trip to the outer imperial territories went well?" Zuko struggled a bit, looking longingly over his shoulder at the inn that was receding as they moved away.

"Ah…yes, uncle. Very well. A few needed some…replacing. But on the whole, it went better than I expected. I was actually thinking I should probably start to pack-"

"Oh, nonsense, Zuko. The night is young. A true warrior knows the time to fight and the time to rest, the time to work and the time to join in the festivities!"

"This isn't a very restful situation for me, unc-"

"Ah, look! There's Katara!" Internally, Zuko slapped his forehead. He struggled to keep his face the serious mask he was so practiced at maintaining, but found it infinitely more difficult when Katara, hearing her voice, spun around and beamed with pleasure at Uncle Iroh.

"General Iroh! It's so good to see you again!" She looked as if she was about to hug the old man, but became aware of Zuko's presence and immediately crossed her arms over her chest, her smile faltering slightly. Her gaze held his for a brief second before she recovered herself enough to carry on a conversation with Iroh.

Zuko heard none of this conversation because he now had to focus all his energy on maintaining the mask. Serious. No Smiling, Blushing, or Demonstrating Compromising Emotions. Nothing of the sort. He finally decided that looking away from Katara made this easier, so he pretended to be interested in the golden chains hanging overhead. He had resorted to counting links when Iroh interrupted him.

"Zuko, don't you agree?" Iroh waited expectantly. Katara was looking at Zuko with a bemused expression. His mind went blank.

"Uh…" Fifty-fifty shot. "Yes, uncle. Of course."

Wrong choice.

"Excellent! So of course you'll dance with Katara, eh, nephew?" Zuko's forehead creased in confusion before he was able to stop himself. What in the world could Iroh have possibly asked him to warrant that response? Zuko now noticed that Katara was smiling in amusement. She stuck out her hand for him to take, almost daring him with her eyes. Of course, he didn't back down.

The two made their way to the raised dance platform. It was peopled by four or five couples, and barely had enough space for another. Zuko was about to use this as an excuse to renege, but Katara spoke before he could say anything.

"It is the duty of an honorable warrior to dance if there are women in need of partners." She said it in a gruff, low voice, obviously an attempt (albeit a poor one) to imitate Iroh. She continued in her own lilting tone. "That's what you zoned out for."

Katara kept her head turned away from him, but he could see her cheek tightened by a smirk. She was laughing at him! He clenched his hand before realizing hers was in it, and she turned to look at him inquisitively. Zuko grasped at something to say. "You know, Sokka does that a lot more skillfully."

"What, pretend to be Iroh? Hah. I would hope so. I can't really get my voice that low." She dragged him up a few stone stairs and they meandered to the center of the group of dancers. Katara, still holding his hand, turned toward him and placed her free hand on his shoulder. She let her amusement color her face. Zuko felt his mask slipping and redoubled his efforts by focusing his eyes at an elderly couple dancing a few feet away.

Not good. They looked too happy. He looked at another couple. They were…making out. Okay, the ceiling. Oh, what lovely…golden…chains. Time to count some links.

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Katara put up with Zuko's sudden non-involvement for a few minutes. She had to keep this conversation on her terms, after all. What was her lead-in, again? 'Hello, Fire Lord?' Too late for that one…what was next? Something about how lovely the wedding was? Suddenly, that sounded too trite. She coughed a bit to put some sort of sound into the void, and Zuko leaned away from her, the hand that had been resting so lightly on her waist now almost floating in the air next to her. Was she that repulsive? She tried to catch Zuko's eye, but he continued to stare at the ceiling.

Oh, now this was just insulting. "WHAT is your problem?" she hissed at him. That got his attention. He looked down at her, surprised, but regained his seriousness a moment later.

"What do you mean?" He looked perfectly innocent. Katara fumed.

"Usually when I dance with someone he doesn't avoid touching me as if I have some highly contagious airborne DISEASE!" A few of the couples eyed Katara nervously. The make-outers hurriedly exited the platform. "Am I that revolting to you, Zuko?"

"Of course not!" Again, a trace of anger and incredulity, quickly stamped out. "I'm just…thinking of something else. And what do you care?" His cheeks colored. "You're with- you know what, nevermind. Let's just finish the dance."

"Whoa, hold on, there, Sparky. What were you about to say?" Katara could have shaken him to get the information.

"Nothing. This is a nice song. I wonder who wrote it?"

"Ugh! You're so aggravating! Just tell me what you meant! Stop hedging like an ice buffalo before a water bison!"

"I'm not _hedging_ like an _ice_-" he allowed a smile of confusion crack his mask, and shook his head. "Whatever you said. I'm not hedging!" He was breathing heavily, and he paused. Katara maintained her cool glare, waiting for another moment to throw him off balance.

"Look," he continued. "This is not the type of conversation I wanted to have when I saw you again." He looked regretful. Good; his mask was almost gone. "It's been five years. Can't we just talk about something…pleasant?" Pleading. This expression made his eyes quite attractive…

But Katara wouldn't let herself get drawn in that easily. "Can you dance like an actual person?" she jabbed. He frowned.

"I always dance like an actual person."

"Oh, and I suppose you write like one, too, huh?" Katara watched as comprehension entered his features. He had the decency to look apologetic, although his tone didn't match his expression.

"Look, that was just- oh, I don't have to explain myself to you. I wrote back to you, didn't I?"

"Four words does NOT count as a letter, Zuko!"

"It had an envelope and a stamp! It was a letter!"

"It hurt, Zuko!" Katara broke her gaze and looked down. He was silent. "It really hurt me that you didn't seem to even care about so much as my _health_. You didn't even ask me a single question." Bitterness crept into her voice. This was not going as planned.

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**Again, glutton for reviews. Gluttonous. For them. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Voila. Chapter 8. Sorry for the wait, folks. Sucks not having internet access for a week. :) Enjoy!**

**Chapter 8**

This was _not_ going as planned. Zuko had given up on controlling his emotions. His face was now showing exactly what he felt, which at the moment was pure consternation. Katara was staring at the floor as if it held the secret of life, and he couldn't think of anything to say.

She looked up, her eyes burning with anger. "What kind of friend sends a letter like that?" _That_ got his hackles up. He clenched his hands again, forgetting that one of them was on her waist. She colored, but whether it was from indignation or anger or…whatever, he didn't know. His cheeks were hot as he struck back.

"Well, it's not like you tried sending another letter! If _you_ were _my_ friend, why didn't you respond, no matter how short mine was?"

"Ohhh, don't even TRY to…" the remaining couples were looking at them curiously, and apparently Katara had noticed, because she grabbed his neatly-tied sash and dragged him off the platform and towards the edge of the square. But she seemed to calm down with the distance, and her hands loosened slightly as they reached an alleyway near a greengrocer who was dancing near his shop, enjoying the music. They ended up standing awkwardly next to each other, Katara fiddling with the long ends of his sash, Zuko at her right shoulder staring straight ahead at a building of stone so smooth it had to have been earthbended.

The greengrocer was humming a familiar folk tune. When the humming grew louder, indicating that the salesman was approaching their alleyway, Katara perked up and pushed against Zuko's back, propelling him towards the smooth wall he had been staring at. He almost complained but Katara was right in front of him, her hands clenching the front of his robe, her eyes locked on his chest and her face the picture of a person floundering for words. She bit her lip and shook her head as if she were answering a question she had asked herself, and then leaned her head forward. It was almost touching his shoulder. He stood straight and still as a statue, his heart suddenly racing against his ribs.

"Zuko, I don't want to fight with you." A retort formed in his mind, but he let it fade and focused on what it would feel like if she let her head fall an inch more... She continued talking almost in a whisper. "I just want to be your friend. Can't we be friends, Zuko?" She lifted her head to look at him and she was too close. Too close for him to speak, too close for him to think…too close for him to resist. Her eyes were pooled liquid. The beads in her hair shook slightly as she gazed at him, a hopeful expression on her face. He found his voice.

"Who ever said I needed another _friend_?" he growled deep in his throat. For an instant, Katara looked hurt, but the hurt changed to confusion, and then her cheeks began to glow a deep red.

Over Katara's shoulder, Zuko saw someone moving towards them. Sokka. Zuko realized the position he was in, backed against a wall, might-as-well-have-been-embracing Sokka's SISTER. Crap. Time to make an exit.

"Oh, look! It's General Wu. Have to give him my condolences on his wife's passing. I'll talk to you later, Katara. He patted her hands awkwardly, pulled them from his robe, and started walking with purpose towards the inn on the opposite side of the square. Katara gazed after him, dazed.

"Wha? Ah. Um?" But he was already ten feet away and counting. Katara just stood staring after him.

Zuko looked back to see Sokka reach his sister and start conversing with her. She didn't seem to be responding. Sokka turned a bit and started scanning the crowd.

Zuko, the fearless Fire Lord, ducked.

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In the morning, Toph woke with a slight headache. It was never good for her to stay up late, and Aang had been talking her ear off into the wee hours of the morning. He really was aggravating sometimes. She sat up in bed (she had finally made peace with beds) and stretched her arms lazily over her head, then rolled over and slapped her feet onto the cold stone floor. The vibrations close enough for her to guess at told her that only a couple servants were up and at their duties this early.

Once she had changed into her teaching robes and eaten some food, Toph headed out of her humble mansion in the Limestone District and struck out towards the school. She was teaching her students primary offensive moves today. Ah, offensive earthbending. Truly a thing of beauty. She chuckled evilly and a nearby person (someone tall and in a hurry) shuffled away nervously. She just grinned and kept moving.

As she walked, she recalled the reception. The long, interminable reception. She'd been expecting more entertainment. Observing Mai and that crazy boyfriend of hers would have been fun had Mai not disappeared into thin air the moment the reception started. Toph would have to question her blasé friend to see if there was any interesting news on that front.

Katara had provided only minor distraction, although Toph had overheard Iroh chuckling to a comrade about tricking his nephew into dancing with her. Iroh seemed like the matchmaking type…maybe there was a story there. Another interrogation was in order…

As it happened, Toph ran into Katara first, as her office was closest to the eastern entrance to the school building. As she was about to barge in, however, she sensed a couple young females at her back, bending fist sized stones towards her head. Sighing, Toph bent her knees in one swift movement, allowing the stones to pass harmlessly over her head and crash against the wall. She then swung her arms up behind her, fingers splayed, causing a circle of stone to rise up around each of the students' feet. When Toph clenched her fists, the circles compressed, encasing the students' legs up to their knees. "Chill for a second, okay, newbies?" She entered Katara's office.

"So what do you even do without any students, Sugarqueen?" Katara seemed thrown by this question. Then again, she was somehow sitting such that her feet weren't touching the floor, and her vibrations were poorly translated through the chair she was sitting on. Because of this, Toph wasn't sure exactly how Katara was responding.

Toph started wondering if Katara had done this on purpose to handicap Toph's ability to pick up on subtle emotional cues through vibrations in the floor when Katara answered. "I organize student files, answer questions, do administrative stuff."

"Secretary, huh?" Hah. Katara was angry, now. That came through loud and clear, even through the chair.

"Only temporarily, Rockstar." Katara used that nickname (in the Toph style) whenever she was particularly annoyed with her earthbending friend. "I was not born to be a secretary. I was born to bend."

"Alright, I yield, Queenie. Didn't mean to offend." Toph sat down on the floor and pulled her feet in. "So I heard you danced with Zuko last night."

"Yes, I did." Katara shuffled some papers on her desk. In embarrassment? Nervousness? Toph couldn't tell. Curse that stupid chair! Toph let Katara cook for a while in the juices of her thoughts before continuing.

"So…how was it?" The papers stopped their shuffling.

"It was…weird. I dunno. Zuko acted really strangely for the first part of the dance, and by the time I had gotten him to open up and start talking to me, he called out to some General and left." Put your feet on the floor, Katara!

"So you felt…rejected?"

"Why would I feel that? It was just confusing as all get out. I wasn't sure what to think." Toph crossed her arms. "Oh, but I wanted to ask you about something, Toph." Toph raised an eyebrow.

"Fire away." She heard Katara take in a deep breath, as if she was thinking of exactly how to say it.

"I talked to Aang last night."

"Mm-hmm." Toph decided not to tell Katara she had 'happened' to hear the whole conversation.

"And, well, he seemed very…attentive. He smiled practically the whole time he was with me."

"And?"

"And, well…I was wondering if maybe…"

"Maybe…?"

"I dunno, it sounds stupid now, but I was worried that maybe he still kinda had a thing for me." Katara rushed the last part, sounding flustered. Toph paused before responding, not sure if she was more taken aback or annoyed at the revelation.

"He smiled at you and you thought he was still in love with you."

"Yeah."

"Katara, you broke up with him years ago."

"U-huh."

"You broke up with _him_."

"Yeah…"

"You said you didn't love him and that was the end of that, right?"

"Wait, how did you-" Toph shook her head and stood up. Katara had always been overly sensitive to Aang's every whim. She was obviously losing her touch.

"Look, Katara. Let me set your mind at ease. Aang is _not_ still in love with you." Katara's feet were finally touching the ground, and she seemed confused.

"How can you be so sure of that?" Toph tilted her head. She lifted her hand and scratched her neck, considering the best way to say it. Eh. Might as well let the cat out of the bag.

"Yeah, we've sort of been dating for two months."

No response from Katara.

"So he's not in love with you."

Still nothing.

"Because we're dating."

Toph paused.

"I take it you didn't see this coming."

The earthbound students outside Katara's door flinched at the scream of giddiness that issued from the office.

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**Toph is so awesome. I totally think that if she ended up dating Aang it would look something like this. "Oh, I didn't tell you? Ah, I guess I forgot." Hehe. **


	9. Chapter 9

**Ha. Who saw the Taang coming? I wasn't even sure initially if I would put it in, but there it is. **

**Thanks for all the reviews, everyone! I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far. **

**Chapter 9**

Aang was flabbergasted. Zuko was leaving? Just like that? The dark-haired, golden-eyed Fire Lord sat at Aang's left at the large, round, wooden table the Earth Kingdom had provided for negotiations, and seemed to be in a hurry to nail down dates.

"I say again, I must be in my ship within the hour. Can't we all agree on something with a _little_ more speed?" Zuko's fingers tapped against the varnished tabletop. One of the Water Tribe representatives made a sound of annoyance.

"Excuse us, Fire Lord, but we _all_ have places to be. Ordering us around won't make anything go faster." Zuko looked up and held the eyes of grizzled Hakoda, the gruff Water Tribe general, and seemed to be about to retaliate, but instead he sighed and leaned back in his chair.

"I wasn't ordering you, Representative Hakoda. I was merely suggesting-"

"That your time is more important than mine, yes?" Aang decided to intervene before the conversation became more heated.

"Friends, we are all in a hurry, here. We are all tired, and we all want to return to our homes. Let us decide on a date so that we can do that. Who said the month of harvest wouldn't work for them?"

"The month of harvest for the Earth Kingdom, or the Water Tribe?" A tall, thin woman with a simple, green garment spoke up.

"Again, Lady Retsu, we have all agreed to use the Earth Kingdom calendar for our negotiations to avoid confusion. Who disagreed with that date?"

There were some mutterings and murmurs, but no one spoke up. Aang sighed. "If no one speaks up, I am declaring the date. Any opposed?" A couple coughs, some shuffling feet, but no one spoke. "Very well. This council has agreed that the second wave of Reconstruction negotiations will commence one month from now, on the first day of Earth Kingdom harvest, in this room." He stood, ending the meeting. Zuko took the opportunity to stand himself and was about to leave the room when Aang waylaid him.

"Just why are you leaving for the Fire Nation in such a hurry?" Aang followed Zuko out into the corridor. "You get tired of your friends quite quickly these days." Aang folded his hands into his sleeves, the picture of calm. Zuko raised an eyebrow, looking somewhat provoked at the question, but didn't raise his voice when he answered. _He's grown a bit over the years_, Aang thought.

"I have to report to my cabinet. Even taking these few days to attend Sokka's wedding was a stretch of my time. Fire Nation royals are very impatient people."

"Oh, come on, Zuko, we both know you aren't the type of Fire Lord to kowtow to your subordinates." Zuko frowned.

"Yes, but I don't want to ignore their desires. If the Fire Nation is ever going to remove itself from my father's shadow, it will have to learn to be more…diplomatic. Not just internationally, but intra-nationally, as well." Aang took it back. Zuko had grown a lot.

"Well, I see your point, but are you sure there isn't another reason for this early departure? You could at least wait a few hours, say goodbye to everyone." Zuko gave Aang a sidelong look and paused at the door to the courtyard.

"You would know if there was a reason." And he walked outside, leaving a very confused Avatar behind.

_I would know IF? Does that mean there IS a reason, and I should know what it is? Does it involve me? Or does he mean that there isn't a reason and he would tell me if there were?_ This is what Aang _would_ have thought had Toph not popped up right then and asked Aang what the negotiation date was. He pulled a hand from his sleeves and adjusted her headband, which had fallen askew over her bangs.

"Weren't you supposed to be at the meeting?"

"Don't get your arrow in a twist." She held her fist out to where she thought his head was and he bowed his forehead so she could give him a soft punch. "Got to chatting with Katara, no biggie. I knew you could handle it on your own."

"Thank you for your faith in me," Aang quipped.

"Ooh, the little Avatar has learned the art of sarcasm!" Toph grinned. "What were you talking to Zuko about? He seems all antsy."

"Antsy?" Maybe there was a reason…

"And why is he in such a hurry? He's almost running."

"He has to pack. He said he's leaving within the hour." Toph frowned.

"Oh, NO he DIDN'T." She took off running in the opposite direction from Zuko. Aang just looked at her receding back in confusion. He still didn't understand her. Maybe after a few more years. That thought had him smiling to himself as he headed to his room.

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Zuko climbed onto his airship, enjoying the feel of the unsteady deck under his feet. He ran a hand through his shaggy, black hair, knowing that soon it would be tied back and adorned with the small, golden Fire Nation crown. He was less formal than his father had been, but he knew he had to maintain some of the traditions to keep his people happy.

"How is our fuel?"

"Almost done filling, sir. The last of the kerosene containers are being carried on that wagon over there." Zuko looked away from Lt. Noki to the street, where a small wagon was trundling towards the airship dock, loaded with large ceramic jars. Good. Once these were loaded, they could be off.

His gaze moved up past the dock shops to the tall dome of the temple that shadowed the city square. He remembered azure eyes gazing up at him, small hands gripping his sash. What had those eyes been? _Hopeful_. Why? Had she simply wanted to talk to him, as a friend? Had she wanted to ask him something? Or had she been about to reveal something to him?

But she had looked so happy with Aang only minutes earlier. He couldn't handle being around her if she was still dating the airbender. It was best that he just leave without talking to her. Even as he thought it he was ashamed at his own cowardice. Think of it: Zuko, the Fire Lord, afraid to talk to Katara in case she was in love with someone else.

Then again, he really did need to get back to the Fire Nation. He didn't want his council to think they could start running the country on their own. His cowardly motive was secondary. But it was still a motive.

Zuko gripped the railing and looked out over the city, the morning market starting to fill with more and more buyers. He was so absorbed in his own thoughts that he didn't hear light footsteps sneak up behind him.

He _did_ feel the huge ball of water that collapsed on top of his head. He dropped his hands to his sides and shook his head, sending drops of water flying in all directions, and slowly turned to the waterbending woman he knew was behind him. "And what was that for, waterbender?"

"Oh, we're back to waterbender now, huh, Zuko?" On that she bent some of the excess water that had dripped to the deck back up into his face. He wiped his eyes and glared at her.

"Is this about last night?" Another splash of water.

"Guess again, Fire Lord."

"I-" Splash. "I was-" Splish splash. He growled then, shook his head and took up a firebending stance, light yellow flames licking up his open hand as he gestured towards her.

"Okay, that's it. You want to fight me, you got me." He waited in anticipation of her first move. Instead of striking, she glared at him and dropped her hands.

"Why are you leaving without saying goodbye?" The fire dissipated, and Zuko's mouth dropped open.

"I'm not-" She raised an eyebrow and he paused. "Okay, so I didn't say goodbye to you. But…you had school, right? I couldn't just burst into one of your classes and-"

"I don't TEACH any classes, Zuko. You would know that if you had bothered to TALK to me instead of suddenly leaving in the middle of our conversation last night!"

"General Wu's wife-"

"General Wu's _wife_ has been dead for fifteen years. You could've at least bothered to come up with a cleverer lie." Zuko opened his mouth to say something but Katara shook her head. "Look, whatever." She crossed her arms and looked out at the street. Zuko bowed his head forward slightly, looking up at her in consideration. He almost tried to say something about how he had to get back to report to his cabinet but he knew that probably wasn't a good idea. Katara was now biting her lower lip and bouncing slightly on the balls of her feet, almost impatiently. She was waiting for him to speak.

"Why don't you teach any classes?" Katara turned her head toward him then, looking slightly surprised.

"Sir, the kerosene is loaded. We're ready to leave on your orders." Zuko held up a hand and the petty officer bowed, walking back to the opposite side of the deck. Zuko kept his eyes trained on Katara's face. She paused before answering.

"Master Pakku made me a master waterbender. I wanted to do the same for other benders. And…not bending sucks." Zuko smiled softly.

"Sounds like a perfect job for you." Katara pursed her lips.

"It _would_ be if I had anyone to teach."

"You will. I'm sure of it." Katara's foot tapped faster and she glared at him.

"Ugh, why can't you let me just stay MAD at you?" In one fluid motion she collected the water at Zuko's feet into a sphere. He thought she might have thrown it at him again, but instead she looped it into a long string and spun it into a leather pouch that hung at her hip. "I'll forgive you this time, Fire Lord, but only on the condition that you actually write me this time." She walked forward and pressed a finger into his chest. He smelled coriander and cumin. Had she been cooking? "Got that? I'd better have a letter on my desk within a week."

"A week? That's not really-"

"No complaining or the forgiveness is removed." She gave him one final glare before flinging her long, loose hair from her shoulders and moving with purpose down the ramp to the street. Zuko smiled at the space she had been in before moving to the railing and leaning against it.

"Katara!" She turned and looked up at the airship, shading her eyes from the sun.

"Yes, oh almighty Fire Lord?" She curtsied slightly.

"You upbraid me for not saying goodbye, and you leave without hearing it?" He tsked, shaking his head. "You're losing your touch, waterbender."

She put a hand on her hip and squinted at him. "Well, let's hear it, then."

"Goodbye, Katara."

She nodded and turned around, walking down the street without saying a word. He shook his head and smirked. Typical.

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**Of course I wouldn't make it **_**that**_** easy for them. Conflict makes a story. Plus writing letters from Zuko to Katara is just plain fun. I've already written the first one. :)**

**Again, there may be a bit of a delay before the next chapter, because I may or may not have internet this weekend. My apologies if you are waiting with bated breath. It will arrive, I promise! **


	10. Chapter 10

**Woo Chapter 10! Here comes the first letter...and some Mainess. **

**Anonymous I Think - worry not, some more matchmaking is definitely going to happen. Iroh is just too awesome to leave on the sidelines. **

**Enjoy!  
**

**Chapter 10**

A week following Sokka and Suki's wedding, Mai caught Katara zoning out in the school courtyard. She allowed herself a smile of satisfaction. For once in a long while, Ty Lee and Toph had been pestering someone _else_ about her love life. Georg and Mai were now out of the interesting 'will-they-or-won't-they' phase, and blessedly Mai's friends had decided to give them some space. The friendly knives Mai had placed in each woman's door along with a well-worded note may have helped that decision.

She sat down on the bench beside Katara and pulled out a fan, absently waving the humid air towards her face. "So he hasn't written yet." Katara lifted her head at Mai's question, answering it with an affirmative grumble. Mai leaned back on her arms. "He isn't the most punctual of souls, Katara. I wouldn't worry too much if he's a day or two…or three late."

"Not a big deal. I just learned to turn off the part of my brain that cares what Zuko thinks. Watch." Katara waved her hands in front of her face almost as if she was bending. "Bam. Zuko who." Katara sighed and slumped her shoulders.

"Did it work?" Mai asked.

"Noooo." Katara started hitting her forehead lightly with her fist. "If only it were that simple. I could just forget about stupid boys and stop myself from acting all weepy and moany just because they are a DAY LATE in sending me a stupid letter!" Katara sat up, then, and Mai could see the frustration in her face. "It's so aggravating to me that the behavior of one person can make me so MAD!"

"Indeed," Mai replied. This was going to be good. "Mail came today. Letter for you, I believe from someone in the Fire Nation." Mai held the tan envelope she had intercepted this morning in front of Katara's face. Katara's eyes widened and a smile flitted across her mouth. Mai saw the struggle in Katara's face, the attempt to cover the sheer joy that was bubbling below the surface. The joy won out and she started beaming.

"Let me see it!" Katara grabbed the letter and tore it open, throwing the envelope behind her and perusing the clearly-formed calligraphy avidly. Mai grinned.

"The behavior of one person can also make one pretty happy, huh?" Katara pursed her lips and glanced sideways at her friend, leaning over to bump her with her shoulder.

"You're one to talk. You've were ridiculously weepy and moany when you first met Georg, as Toph tells it."

"Eh. It's part and parcel of the relationship game, I think."

"Bah, you're no fun. You're supposed to get defensive, not wax eloquent."

"Just read your letter. You'll feel better. I'm off to class." Mai left Katara in the courtyard and headed toward the west wing of the school, where she taught a mid-morning session on light weaponry and defense tactics. Many of the students in her class were benders looking to expand their repertoire, but some of them couldn't bend at all. This was remarkable since the school as a whole was billed as an institution for benders. Mai's class was quite popular, though, and many local laypeople had decided to send their children to learn basic offense and defense under her tutelage.

A few of the wealthier families had even requested private lessons for their children, but Mai had declined. She had too much on her hands as it was without adding one-on-one teaching.

As she walked down the corridor, she heard and felt rumblings from the classroom to her left. She slid the door open a crack and peeked in. Toph's main classroom was huge, almost the size of a firebender's arena, and was outfitted with plenty of materials for her to work with. Rocks of all colors, gravel, coal, soil and sand were all piled haphazardly about the large space. Toph, barely breaking a sweat, was crouching at the center of about eight of the newer female students who were trying – and failing – to attack her by earthbending.

Ten or so of the older students sat along the walls, watching the novices try to strike Toph with their shaky techniques. One, a short girl with a jet black ponytail, stood apart from the circle and was hunched over, staring at the ground, trying with all her might to bend any earth into the air at all. All she could manage was a poor shudder of the dust beneath her feet. A few of the other young students had lifted small boulders a few feet into the air and were trying to figure out how to maneuver these objects towards their teacher with any kind of force.

Only one girl was doing anything Toph had to defend against. She was taller than the others, and willowy, her blonde hair tied back in a severe ponytail. She had forgone the large masses of earth for a gravel pile, and had taken to firing a series of the small, more easily managed rocks at Toph in rapid succession. Toph easily bent the long line of gravel right back at her student, hitting her in the stomach. The girl dropped the rest of the gravel and bent over, obviously hurt.

"What did you do wrong, Yuki?" Toph raised her hand to stop the other students from bending. All eyes were on the blonde whose hands were now pressed to her stomach, but whose eyes were trained on Toph's face, the picture of determination.

"I…failed to defend against the counterattack."

"And what technique should you have used?" Yuki considered the question, standing up in spite of her pain.

"Based on the material I used and the speed with which you bent it back towards me, I probably couldn't have caught the gravel. I should have dropped my attack completely and thrown up a defense wall." Yuki was now rubbing her stomach gingerly. Toph nodded.

"Good. Very good. You pass the pop quiz. Go to Sifu Katara and get that taken care of. Everyone else, do you plan on hitting me any time soon?" The other students took up their bending positions again and Yuki walked towards the door where Mai was standing. Mai nodded to her as she passed.

"Yuki, well done." The girl colored. "I wouldn't seek out Sifu Katara at the moment. She's rather busy. Can you stand to deal with the bruises until lunchtime? I'm sure she can heal those for you then." Yuki nodded.

"The bruises aren't that bad. And I was going to wait, anyway. I want to feel the consequences of my mistake for a little bit before I have them healed." Yuki bowed to Mai, and Mai smiled at Yuki's receding back. It was a slow process, but the students were learning.

"What simply marvelous architecture this institution has! I _must_ pick your brain for ideas, m'lady." Mai's smile flipped and her face fell flat. She spun around and grabbed Georg's ear, dragging him bodily to her office down the hall. She shoved him in ahead of her, swept in, and slammed the door behind her, all without saying a word. He spun and fingered his ear gingerly. "What did I do this time, sweetykins?"

"Don't call me that."

"Sugarmuffin?" Mai crossed her arms. He was _not_ going to make her laugh. She raised an eyebrow.

"Are you finished? I've told you before, Georg, that you don't have to put on your little show in these halls. We have the best security possible. There are no spies to figure out your little act."

"Well, pumpkinette, even the best security can be bought at the right price. Plus, this way, I get to embarrass you. You have such an enticing glow when you're embarrassed. It makes me want to bite your ears."

"Bite my ears? In what universe is _that_ done?" Mai balked but felt blood suffusing her cheeks.

"Not bite them _hard_, of course. Here, let me show you." Mai raced around her desk, putting it between them.

"I don't think now is the time, Georg." Georg's eyes glittered as he stalked her like a tiger. He leaned casually against the desk, a lazy smile on his face.

"You have five minutes before class, right? Just a quick demonstration won't take but three." Mai was now beet red, but kept her arms crossed, debating the merits of fleeing to class and teaching Georg she had her own schedule versus the advantages of knowing what exactly ear-biting was.

The ear-biting was just too intriguing.

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_Dear Katara,_

_Technically you're supposed to send a letter BACK before I have to send another one. But whatever, I guess four words isn't long enough for you. To make up for it, I've transcribed the 50-stanza Fire Nation anthem "Oh Hallowed Flame That Courage Raises." I hope it will satisfy your lust for content. _

_I trust the school is doing well. And Aang, of course._

_Zuko._

_Oh Hallowed Flame That Courage Raises_

_To the tune of Glory Glory, in three parts._

_Oh, hallowed flame that courage raises_

_Here in me to dwell again_

_Before the throne of Fire Lord places_

_All its power, might and ken._

_Truly I would fain believe it_

_Such a fire that boosts my soul_

_Ever was and ever shall be_

_Separate from wood or coal_

_For at once…_

Katara stopped at the third stanza and slapped her forehead.

"Why am I reading this?" Katara didn't know whether to laugh or yell in frustration. She couldn't understand the meaning behind the letter. Was he mocking her? Was he placating her? It was impossible to tell.

And there was no way she was going to sit here and slave through a ridiculously long Fire Nation snore-fest. Zuko was so aggravating! He had wasted five good pieces of parchment and likely two hours of his time transcribing a stupid poem!

But he probably did it because he thought it would make her laugh. She could see him now, his dark bangs almost touching the parchment as his cramped hand shaped the letters of a complicated practical joke, his lips upturning every now and then when he forgot his fatigue and remembered why he was writing. And now, Katara's own lips were turning up and she forgot her annoyance in remembering his eyes, his smile, the gruffness of his voice when he had spoken to her as they danced: _Who ever said I needed another _friend?

She shook her head to clear it. "Don't misinterpret, Katara. Guard your heart. Don't let him phase you." But she hunched back down and read all fifty stanzas. Twice.

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**Let him phase you, Katara! Let him phase you! You know you want to...**

**I almost thought about writing out all 50 stanzas of Zuko's poem, but then I realized I didn't want to put you - or me - through the torture. You can thank me later.  
**


	11. Chapter 11

**Time for yet another chapter. We still have a lot of story to get through, so be prepared for some angst. Also some conflict. And a little bit of tension. This chapter has some Ty Lee! Yay. **

**badonyx – very good question about Yuki being a blonde. I will address this in later chapters, but fear not, there is a reason. A potentially interesting reason… **

**Update: Fair point on the cabinet officials, AlleluiaElizabeth. Easily remedied in the dialogue by getting rid of the 'what say,' which I agree was a bit too British. As for the location of Hertzer, really, it's just a small, independent island nation somewhere near the Northern Water Tribe. Thanks for the comment!**

**And InItToWinIT, yes, I meant plum. Thanks! :)  
**

**Chapter 11**

Ty Lee was happy to see that Mai's post-Zuko funk was gone. Right after Zuko had dumped her, Mai had been an Untouchable for at least a week. Even Ty Lee's own _extremely_ well-thought out suggestions ("Hey, Mai, what say we make an effigy of Zuko and cut it to pieces?" "Mai, let's go shopping!" "Ooh, I could offer him a backrub and then incapacitate him for a few days! That'd be fun, right?") had been answered with a cold look and a single word.

"NO!"

The Untouchable stage had faded into a Mai that looked the same and acted the same, but whom Ty Lee _knew_ was still in pain. But as it always happens, the pain in her friend's eyes had slowly faded. However, instead of returning to her normal, bland self, Mai had settled into a sort of cool jadedness, which had to be shaken, but for which Ty Lee had no remedy. No remedy, that is, until she happened to remember something her mother had said once, gazing out the window at a sister staring forlornly at the moon –

"She can't dwell on Then. She needs to create a new Now. With a new Him."

Being a bit of a dull child, Ty Lee hadn't grasped her mother's meaning at the time. But now, observing her friend's malaise, she knew what she had to do. Mai needed a new relationship, and new memories to dwell on. MAN memories.

The full plan, which took Ty Lee months to implement, involved a couple cousins, some cleverly written missives, a personal visit to Hertzer, and a whole lot of bribery. It had come to fruition, oddly enough, on the very day Ty Lee had overheard Mai mumbling about wanting a boyfriend. The very day Ty Lee had shipped Georg in from afar.

Finding a man like Georg hadn't been an easy process. Nothing simple for Mai. Given Mai's personality, Ty Lee knew her mate had to be upbeat. One of the problems of her relationship with Zuko had been the multiplicative power of their general BLAHness. Zuko needed someone perky, Mai needed someone perky. Simple as that.

But beyond that, Mai was high-class. She didn't act like it, and she didn't really stay connected to her family, but Ty Lee knew Mai would probably prefer a mate with royal blood. That narrowed the playing field significantly.

And then Ty Lee had remembered Georg, the new ruler of Hertzer. One of Ty Lee's cousins, Wu Fei, had emigrated to the country years ago and sent her periodic (and quite entertaining) descriptions of the flamboyant king. Ty Lee had visited the king, and, seeing his situation, had decided that he needed to get away from it all for a while. Georg had seemed reticent to leave, but Ty Lee's descriptions of Mai had caught his interest, and he had come. Ty Lee expected to be maid of honor for her trouble…

"Alright, kiddies, the time has come for…dun dun DUNNN…handstands!" She shouted this upon bursting into her carpeted classroom where twelve young ladies were stretching their legs and arms. Their eyes lit up and they gathered around the nimble woman, chattering a bit as they did so. "Now remember, my little children, to focus on the FEEL of the body." She took up a stance reminiscent of a monkey, one arm raised slightly higher than the other, one leg lifted, perfectly balanced. "The monkey knows what limbs to move, and when to move them. The monkey does not think about the handstand. The monkey HANDSTANDS." She lightly flipped upside-down so she was resting on her hands and staring up at her class.

"I don't think monkeys _do_ handstands," one of the younger girls, Michiru, piped.

"And 'handstand' isn't a verb," another quipped. Ty Lee frowned and rolled her feet over her head, lifting herself to a standing position again. She drew herself up and frowned viciously.

"Talking back gets you no respect from ME, novices. Actually _do_ a handstand and maybe I'll CARE WHAT YOU THINK." All twelve students were wide-eyed. A couple mouths dropped open. Ty Lee giggled. "Haha! Azula said stuff like that all the time. I've always wanted to try it." She beamed at them. They all managed weak smiles, finally understanding that Ty Lee had not actually turned into a crazy malevolent dictator.

"But seriously, do your handstands."

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Zuko wanted to strangle them all. Each and every member of his cabinet. They were ridiculous. Reporting back about his voyage should have taken an hour, tops. He had been meeting with them now for three _days_. And the meeting itself hadn't started until the week-long celebration regarding his _return_ had ended. He almost blew steam out his nostrils when he remembered where he was: walking in the hallway, surrounded by the very cabinet members he was annoyed with. A couple of the older men nodded at him when they caught his eye. He clenched his hands, but managed to nod back.

Once they turned their backs to him to enter the conference hall, he allowed himself a grimace. The last member in line, a woman in her forties named Maka, turned slightly, noticing his expression. He started, but she only rolled her eyes in sympathy. He smiled. Maybe he didn't want to strangle _all_ of them. Maka was one of the few members of his cabinet he actually liked. But he trusted most of them, and that was all that really mattered.

His secretary, Lt. Ren, droned the summary of the previous sessions. Zuko tuned him out after the requisite "This twenty-third day of the third month, at the sun's midpoint, we, the Royal Cabinet of our Mighty Fire Lord, King Zuko, may his name forever be emblazoned…"

Ugh. He would never get used to all the pomp the Fire Nation asked him to withstand. It was ridiculous. It contributed about 20% of the length of this stupid meeting.

"Ahem. Fire Lord Zuko, I believe when you said that Hanoi was the last island you visited, you must have been mistaken. In my record, that island is listed as Hanai, so you see, I am a mite confused as to-"

"Uh, General Shinatori, that's a smudge of plum pudding on your notes. The town is named Hanoi," a plump, balding man, General Fa suggested, thumbing his chin and gesturing at the table in front of Shinatori. Shinatori sat back and frowned.

"What? Ah, yes! Pudding! Ah, well let me just get that-ah, I see. Quite right - _Hanoi_. Haha." The other generals managed some chuckles of sympathy. Conversations like _this_ accounted for about 55% of the length.

"Gentlemen, shall we make this meeting as short as possible? I'm sure we would all love to finish this session in good time for dinner."

"Dinner! That reminds me! My wife says cook is making a delectable peacock stew! What do you say to that?"

"Ah, well my husband told me he had just gone to market to buy some of the freshest mangoes he had ever seen…"

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Two hours later, Zuko had finished his report. The cabinet members seemed, on the whole, pleased with the political progress Zuko had achieved during his journey. Zuko himself had to admit the Fire Nation was now quite secure. They had few enemies, they were financially sound…

"You're thinking it's time to get you a wife, correct, Fire Lord?" Zuko almost jumped out of his skin. He turned to his right, noticing his bodyguards had let _her_ through to him again. They thought it great entertainment. He would have to...speak with them.

"I'm not marrying your daughter, Loki. I've made that clear at least five times before."

"Well, it is the Fire Lord's prerogative to change his mind. I just think I should keep presenting the option. Just in case." She smiled ingratiatingly. Zuko decided to toy with the old woman since she insisted on annoying him.

"As it happens, I do have plans towards marriage." Loki perked up.

"Really, Fire Lord? Well, my daughter is quite the catch, so if you ever-"

"But anyone I marry will have to be someone _outside_ the Fire Nation. Political ties are important at the moment, you see." Loki's mouth dropped open.

"You mean…you aren't even considering anyone from the Fire Nation? You…you might marry someone from…the Earth Kingdom?" Zuko grinned.

"Or the Water Tribe." Loki looked as if she could faint.

"The…_Water Tribe_?" She dropped her hands and managed a bow. "Tha-Thank you for your time, Fire Lord." She backed away. Zuko almost laughed. Loki was one of the members of the older generation (a blessed few, thank the sun) who still clung to their ridiculous xenophobia. The Water Tribe had been anathema back then – the opposing element presenting one of the greatest threats to his father's rule, next to the Avatar. That prejudice was faded, now, but Zuko still attacked vestiges whenever he saw them. Especially when it got him out of awkward conversations.

When he returned to his study, he found a letter waiting for him. Allowing himself a small smile in the presence of his guard, he lifted the letter gingerly and examined it. It was from Katara. He dismissed his guard and sat down at his desk, prying open the letter's seal, blue wax impressed with a stylized wave, with a heated finger.

_Zuko, _

_Of course I memorized the poem. What true scholar wouldn't be captivated by those words? I plan on reciting it verbatim the next time we meet. But of course you have your country to rule. And I have my duties at the school. Which is doing well, thank you for asking. No students to teach yet. _

_Yet again you have failed to tell me anything interesting of your life. I infer that this means your life at the moment is boring. So I will cheer you up with this anecdote:_

_Today Iroh visited the school and decided to teach a firebending class for one of our adjunct teachers, whose name escapes me at the moment because we have five of them on rotation (can you believe it?). One of the students said something about being thirsty and was treated to a twenty-minute dissertation. And what do you think it was about?_

"Tea," Zuko said aloud.

_You guessed it. And then he proceeded to take all fifteen students down the street to one of the local tea shops to sample the fine fare. They didn't get back until the end of the day! Mai was furious that they missed her class. I placated her by sicking Georg on her. He's so useful. He makes us all laugh. I think he's great for her. Have you met him? He's really great for her._

Why had she written that twice?

_Well, that's all I have. Now remember, although I loved that poem desperately, I do want to know what goes on in the Fire Nation. Toodles._

_P.S. Sorry about that farewell. Georg is rubbing off on me._

Zuko suppressed a sliver of jealousy that she had written to him about another man _rubbing off on her _(growl) and sat back in his chair. She hadn't responded to his question about Aang. Had she just forgotten to answer? Had she not seen it? And why the double statement that Georg was great for Mai? He already knew Mai was dating the strange ruler of Hertzer. He had seen them making out in a park the morning he left for the Fire Nation. She had never kissed _him_ like that.

Again, Zuko felt a bit petulant; as petulant as a Fire Lord could be without losing his ineffable cool. His ex-girlfriend was perfectly happy without him. The woman he loved told him stories about his uncle and "forgot" to write about the man he suspected she was seeing. His ego wasn't doing too well.

But why did she seem to care that he knew Mai and Georg were dating? Did that mean anything? He threw his hands up in the air, shook his head and pulled out a fresh sheet of parchment, dipping his pen into some ink.

_Katara, _

_I love you. I love you and I want to kiss you every time I see you – your nose, your forehead, your eyelids, your lips. Ah, your lips. They're so red you could be Fire Nation based on those alone. And your eyes – I could drown in them and smile as the world faded from view. _

_I want you to be mine. I love you so much more than Aang ever could. What does he have that I haven't? I mean, yes, he saved the world, but I'm rich. And I'm a king. And I can make fire. Out of thin air. Hah. Well, okay, Aang can do it, too. Not the point. _

_The point is, I need you. Every time I'm away from you it's like something inside me is just wrong, and then I see you and it's okay again, but only until you're gone again. _

Zuko sat back, reread the letter and sighed. Of COURSE he wasn't going to send it. He wasn't a complete fool. But it had been cathartic to get his feelings into words, even though he couldn't say them. At least, not now. Not until he knew she wasn't with Aang, that he had a chance with her.

_Coward_. He heard it in his head. It almost sounded like his father's voice, and he suppressed it with a growl. He was _not _a coward. He was not just running away from Katara because of fear. If she was happy with Aang, he would not ruin it for her. He wouldn't.

_COWARD._ Zuko pounded his fist on his desk, then grabbed the letter he had written and crumpled it up. He considered throwing it in the trash, but instead slipped it into his desk drawer and locked it securely. No need to let those particular sentiments out into a castle of eavesdroppers. If anyone found it, it would probably find its way to Katara's ears somehow. Best to keep it under lock and key.

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**Hmm…I wonder if that letter is going to come back to bite him. **

**Next chapter: another plot point! And possibly a twist? Perhaps even another letter. We shall see…**


	12. Chapter 12

**I am gifting you with another chapter! Already! It's like I like you guys or something. **

**Eatfoodzap – no, Zuko is not a very smart cookie. It makes him lovable, though. :)**

**Thanks for the reviews, as always, everyone! I love hearing what you all think.**

**Chapter 12**

Katara sighed as she pulled her glowing, water-encased hands from the arm of the blonde student. It had been fractured ten minutes before, but now it looked as good as new. This was Yuki's third or fourth time visiting Katara in as many days. Katara would have to speak with Toph about the…physicality of her class.

Yuki sat unflinchingly on the bench Katara used for most of her examinations, her brown eyes thoughtful, her mouth almost bored. Yuki had never reacted Katara's healing ability. Others, earthbenders in particular, were just plain freaked out the first couple times Katara slipped a watery hand over an injury. Yuki took it in stride.

Katara let out a puff of air when the bench underneath Yuki creaked out a mutter of old age. The varnished piece of furniture wasn't particularly flashy, but it was flat, and it was solid, and it served a purpose. Katara didn't need professional equipment; she didn't pretend to be a professional _doctor_. She was here to teach. Healing was incidental.

Of course, this didn't mean she didn't _enjoy_ it. In the absence of any prescribed duties, Katara thrived on her brief contacts with overtired or injured students (the bulk of whom, of course, came from Toph's classes). Aside from battered, bruised faces, Katara had slim interaction with the students of this school. If only a waterbender or two would just appear out of nowhere. Yeah. Like that would happen.

Ugh, she was thinking herself into a downward spiral again. It had happened a lot lately, especially since she had a while to wait yet before Zuko would write again. Waiting was _not_ her strong suit. To distract herself, she struck up a conversation with her patient. "So, Yuki. Your hair is an unusually…bright color. Has it always been so…interesting a shade?" Yuki's hair was as yellow as the sun, but pulled back so tightly it seemed like the girl was embarrassed by it. No wonder; the only other women with bleached hair Katara knew of were the prostitutes in the Upper Middle district.

Yuki looked down and gingerly tried bending her arm. "No, ma'am. I…dyed it." Katara blinked and shook her head. Kids these days.

"Well, I hope your mother approved of that before you did it." She did _not _just sound like Gran Gran! "Off with you. Try to be more careful now, alright?" Katara tried another of her winning smiles, but Yuki just nodded, her face unreadable. One of these days, she would get that girl to laugh. One of these days…

The next time Katara saw Yuki, her other arm was fractured. Did Toph _listen_ when Katara talked to her? "What does Toph _do_ to you poor students? Yuki, you have to be more careful when you practice your techniques!" It was then that Katara noticed Yuki's hair. The locks that had been severely pulled back now hung in two loose braids against her shoulders. They were jet black. Katara grinned. "Mother disapproved of the bleach?"

Yuki looked up from her purpling arm. "Yes, Miss Katara." Not even a hint of a smile. Well, the girl was in pain… but still. This was ridiculous.

Slightly annoyed, Katara healed Yuki rather quickly and sent her back to class. There had to be a way to get under the girl's armor.

Katara moved to sit back down at her desk, but hesitated upon hearing a knock at her door. Thinking Yuki had forgotten something, Katara called out for her to enter. The door slid open. Instead of Yuki's blank young face, Katara was treated to five slight figures she didn't recognize. Her first impression was that they were dirty. Her second impression was that they were young – the oldest, who would probably tower over her by five inches, looked to be about sixteen. The youngest, a short-cropped beanpole with a wary expression, seemed to be eleven or twelve. The three girls of the group filled the gap between the two boys, in age and in line.

Their clothing suggested they hadn't been in town long enough to catch the latest fashion – indeed, most of what they wore wasn't woven, but consisted of sewn patches of animal skins. The sixteen-year-old noticed that Katara was assessing him and stared right back at her, looking almost insulted before covering the emotion with a quick action.

He stuck out a hand. "Miss Katara, we have come to learn waterbending under your tutelage. Please take good care of us."

Katara blinked once, then twice. She realized her mouth was open, so she shut it. The boy was still holding out his hand. He looked impatient. It was then that Katara noticed the paper gripped between his thumb and forefinger. "Is that a letter?"

"Yes. Here." The youth stomped up to her desk and slapped it down, turned, stomped back to his companions, turned, and stared at her, waiting. Disconcerted, Katara gathered herself and allowed the youth a look that said: Alright, Man-Child, Get Your Kicks Now, Because You Will Soon Learn The Meaning Of Respect. But she opened the letter and perused it.

Once her eyes hit the name at the bottom she hoped desperately that her cheeks retained their normal tint. The letter was short and to the point. She expected nothing less from him.

_Katara – _

_Found some students for you. One of my cabinet members actually helped me – Maka is her name. Hope five is enough for now. I'll keep looking._

_Something interesting about my life, huh? You have high expectations of me. Very well – old women with daughters terrify me. I offer no explanation except to say that strangely enough, you sort of helped me conquer that particular fear._

Yeah, he'd have to explain that one a bit more comprehensively. Over tea. In a private room. Holding her hands across the table. Gazing into her eyes –

Stop it, Katara!

_Yes, Georg seems nice. Good for Mai._

So he knew about that…no more Mainess torch-carrying? Problem solved? Surely life wasn't that simple.

_How's Aang?_

_Zuko_

_P.S. Keep practicing that poem. I'll hold you to your promise._

And that was it. Longer than before, assuredly, but still wanting in the content department. While Katara had initially thought that each letter Zuko sent would somehow ease the anxiety she felt at his departure, it only drove further into her heart the recognition that every minute without him next to her represented another liter of ache poured into that tumultuous gray sea – the part of her soul that missed him. It now dragged her down and she didn't know if she could muster enough power to bend it out of her way.

Katara felt the youth's eyes on her and realized she had been staring at the letter for a full five minutes now. She coughed and stood, straightening her deep blue overshirt.

"Well, now. Normally we don't accept boys at a girl's school." The two boys blanched and shuffled a bit. "But then we need all the waterbenders we can get. Let's hear your names and get you cleaned up."

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Iroh knew he had seen sparks. He knew it. So where was the accompanying fire? His nephew was still off in the Fire Nation, puttering around his royal palace, and Katara was miles upon miles removed. There were no signs that she had an understanding with Zuko. In fact, every time Iroh saw the poor girl, he noticed shadows of doubt and unease about her eyes that he was certain his blockheaded nephew had something to do with.

Perhaps Iroh was at fault for this apparent stalemate. True, he had orchestrated (quite cleverly, if he did say so himself) a very fruitful _tête_-_à-tête_between his nephew and the sweet young water tribe girl during that lovely wedding weeks earlier. But one tryst was not enough to solidify a union, and while Zuko may have been a proficient firebender, the flames of love were an element requiring an altogether different technique.

Iroh himself _was_ a master at bending it, but he couldn't win Katara's heart _for_ Zuko – although the girl was a picture. If he were a few decades younger…

Ah, but Zuko had to woo Katara himself. Which would be a much easier task if the two lovelorns were in the same country.

Luckily, Iroh had quite the elegant plan, more beautiful because of its simplicity. Indeed, all his best battle tactics had been those he could deliver to his troops in a sentence.

Zuko would have to take Iroh's place at the peace negotiations.

Haha! It was lovely in form, this idea of Iroh's. Almost as lovely as the face of the ripe, graying woman who sold her books at a nearby shop. He would have to ask her to share some of his special Greenleaf tea this afternoon.

But first, he would send his nephew a letter. If he sent it now, Zuko would have time to receive it, consider it, reject it, reconsider it, and travel to Ba Sing Se in time for at least the third day of the talks. Iroh could handle it until he arrived. But he felt a cold coming on…cough cough…

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Well his uncle was lying. No doubt about it. There was no way the Dragon of the West would plead for a replacement because of a common cold. The very idea was ridiculous!

Zuko ran a tired hand through his rather unruly hair and tossed the letter onto his desk, standing and pacing the room. His bed in the adjoining room beckoned to him, but he resisted the call, knowing that the leader of his personal guard would be offended again if he went to sleep without demonstrating that he hadn't been assassinated at his desk. The man was far too suspicious – a trait that kept his job quite secure.

He moved to open his office door out into the corridor. The guard, Daiya, looked to his left, keeping the rest of his body still and poised for action. It was how he always looked when he was on duty. Zuko sighed. "I'm alive, as you see. Good night, Daiya."

"Wait, m'lord-" Daiya broke his stance a bit to slip his left hand into his vest, retrieving a slightly wrinkled, sealed piece of parchment. "Got this from the maid. Thought you'd want it. Here." It was the longest conversation Zuko had ever had with the balding veteran.

He knew the script of the address so well his heart jumped as soon as he closed his fingers around the smooth parchment. Luckily, Daiya was already focused on potential threats in the hallway and hadn't seen the subtle change in his liege. Zuko retreated into his office, shut the door behind him and fumbled with the wax seal. He was practically sweating in anticipation, wondering as always whether Katara had finally answered his inquiry about Aang.

His face fell into a frown as he skimmed her words for the Avatar's name. It wasn't there. What was wrong with the woman? He had asked her in two successive letters and still she avoided speaking about him. As a result, Zuko had no definitive proof whether or not Katara was emotionally tied to the bald peacekeeper. Zuko almost threw the letter down next to Iroh's without reading it at all. Her blue eyes flashed in his mind, angry at him for not writing, happy to see him again, amused at his discomfiture, hopeful…

The Fire Lord suppressed his anger and sat at his desk, reading Katara's well-formed words.

_Zuko,_

_I can't thank you enough. Where in the world did you find five waterbending students? I thought you were chained in the Fire Nation. I don't care how at peace we are, waterbenders do _not_ enjoy spending time in your climate. _

_They're learning so well already. I've already taught the older ones to form ice. I'm so proud of them!_

_Terrified of old ladies? I would ask why, but you say you won't tell, and I know how stubborn you can be. Just know I may use this knowledge against you in the future. Maybe I'll…plant a random old lady behind your door at night…ooh, that's an interesting idea…_

Zuko smirked at this. He almost expected her to do it. And he almost wrote a reply suggesting she plant a young, beautiful waterbending master behind his door at night. To help with security.

_Hah. About that poem – I have it basically memorized and was happy to discover that Iroh knows a _tune_ that goes behind it! How could you not tell me this? It's changing my life. I sing it in the bathtub some mornings, and I think Mai almost wants to strangle me, I sing it so much at the school. _

Zuko cleared his throat at the image of Katara in a bathtub and decided that she had probably missed his little question about Aang. It did seem like he had just casually thrown it in, as if he didn't really care that much and was just asking to be polite. He hoped that was the case.

_Come visit us soon. Ba Sing Se needs a little steaming up. There's a shocking lack of Fire Lords!_

_Katara_

She wanted him to visit. She hummed his song every morning…while she bathed…

On second thought, maybe Iroh really _did _have a cold.

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Why the Fire Lord couldn't just pack his own things, Naru would never know. She had been at it for two hours, now, with no end in sight. She simply had no idea what he would need, what clothes he would want to wear, what personal effects he would die without, etc. At the moment she had given up on the clothing and had retreated to his office area, looking around it with her hands on her hips.

Well, he probably wouldn't need his potted plant in the corner. But maybe it was of particular meaning to him…no, it would take up too much space. It would always be here when he got back. A few knickknacks on a low table near the window caught her eye. One of them was a jade cat with silver eyes, frozen in an arched hiss. Pretty ugly, she had to admit. She could picture him jumping back from his case upon discovering that particular item.

Serves him right for forcing her to pack for him.

Into the leather case went the cat. She cast about for anything else to throw in the case when her eyes fell upon his desk. Sigh. The Fire Lord probably had important documents somewhere in that desk, and he would probably forget to pack them himself. Luckily, he had Naru the Foresighted working for him. She dragged the now heavy case over to the desk and tried the drawer. It was locked.

Nothing a little lock-picking wouldn't fix.

After five minutes or so, she finally had the drawer open and was about to start shuffling through some of the papers – she wasn't paid enough not to take a small peek – when she heard a knock at the door.

"Naru! You almost done in there? I've lost my appetite and regained it so many times I can't even count!" The voice came from Sasuke, her betrothed. She had forgotten all about their plans for dinner. Sigh. She guessed she didn't have time to read _all_ the letters.

Maybe just one. She grabbed a wrinkled envelope and opened it, perusing the text avidly.

Boooring. Something about a cold? And peace talks. Ugh. So much for peeking in on the Fire Lord's life. It had nothing interesting to recommend it.

With a sigh, Naru dragged the drawer completely out of the desk and upturned it, depositing the stack of papers and envelopes into the case. There. Now there was no way the Fire Lord could be annoyed with her packing skills. She had packed basically…everything.

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**I'm not sure I would employ someone like Naru, Zuko. And stop picturing Katara taking a bath; you'll get a nosebleed.**

**Finally, Zuko's heading back to the same zip code as Katara! Perhaps relationship-type things will occur. Perhaps.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Plot twist time. **

**kate4394 – that's hilarious.**

**Anonymous I Think – okay, review-as-you-go reviews may be the coolest thing ever.**

**Garwinloveforever – to answer your questions, no, Naru didn't see Zuko's letter. Sorry if that wasn't clear. She just sort of tossed them all into a suitcase. And yes, Aang knows, too. :)**

**Thanks for the reviews, as always, everyone!**

**Chapter 13**

Strangely enough, Li was late to class. The tall, gangly sixteen-year-old had been the first one to Katara's semi-outdoor classroom every day for the past week and a half. Maybe he hadn't slept well. Katara _had_ heard a group of students reveling in the street late last night. She had enjoyed dousing a few of them with a puddle as they passed beneath her window.

Katara had felt a bit bad about not participating in the party herself. It was for a good cause; peace negotiations had started this morning, and the event had been a sort of send-off for all the participants. Everyone in the city wanted to take part. She, however, had decided to turn in early. Toph could only say so much to convince an exhausted new teacher that she wasn't exhausted.

"Where's Li?" a bouncy, pudgy girl in pigtails asked. Tami was always a little too aware of Li's general whereabouts. Katara knew a smitten teenager when she saw one.

"He hasn't come to class yet, so I'm not sure, Tami. He'll probably wander in soon." Katara busied herself with moving the last of a few empty wooden barrels to the side, out of their way. She and her students were blessedly saved from the sun's direct rays by a tarp stretched over a series of posts which rose along the edges of the circular arena and met overhead, forming a tent. They weren't, however, saved from the humidity.

But humidity is never a curse to a waterbender. Katara decided to show off a little and swept her arm lightly through the air, bending some of the moisture from it into a small ball which turned to ice as it dropped into her outstretched hand. She placed it against her temple. "Ah, that feels nice." Tami looked envious. Rui, the younger of the two boys, looked impressed, but soon covered it up. Katara had learned that Rui spent every waking minute trying to be Li, which meant she had two disaffected teenagers on her hands.

She handed the ball to Tami, who gratefully pressed it against her skin. The stocky girl next to Tami nudged her with an elbow. "Hey, share with your sister." Tami grumbled, but handed the ice over.

"Can I have it back soon, Sora? I'm so hot!"

"Not until Lina gets a chance."

"Aww, hurry up!"

Katara smiled. The three sisters were close-knit, and as protective of each other as she had always been of Sokka. Speaking of Sokka, she hadn't seen him since the wedding. She wondered if he and Suki were enjoying their extended honeymoon. He could at least keep her generally updated about it. Ah, well. Honeymoons were probably fairly…distracting.

Suppressing a blush at the thought, Katara clapped her hands to pull her students' attention back to her. "Today, class, I thought we'd experiment with ice sliding."

This time, Rui's look of awe was unabashed. "Ice SLIDING? Sliding on ice? How? Show me how!"

Katara laughed. "It's simple. Watch me. First, you bend a fair amount of water around your waist to hold in reserve – " she did so, wrapping a wide ribbon of liquid around her body, leaving her legs and arms free – "and use that to create a continuous path of ice. See?" Katara bent the water such that it shot in a continuous stream in front of her feet, and she slid about ten feet before stopping. "The trick is raising the ice behind you continuously as you go, so you are pushed forward." She stepped off the slide she had created, pointing out a raised lip of ice that was already melting in the heat.

Rui was enthralled. "So…bend a path of ice…" He threw some water to the ground in front of him and tried to smooth it out. "And step on the ice? And raise it behind you?" Rui lifted his hands to lift the ridge, but used too much force and ended up lifting his own feet out from under him. He fell flat on his back. Tami giggled.

"Rui, don't you pay attention? You have to keep a store of water around your waist. AND you have to keep bending the ridge so you move forward, and not down!" She giggled some more.

Rui blushed angrily and looked up at her. "Well, why don't you show me how it's done, then, smartypants!"

The girl delicately spread her water before her, but she raised the ridge too low and remained motionless. After a pause, she clenched her fist. "Aw, this is too hard!" Rui had quietly crawled close enough to her now to yank her left leg, which sent her sprawling, flailing her arms windmill-style. "RUI! Wha-aaa!" Thud.

Rui started laughing in amusement, his eyes crinkling and tearing up. "Hah! I knew you couldn't do it!" He grabbed his stomach and bent double, rolling onto his side, now laughing uproariously.

Tami looked about to yell at him again, but decided against it and closed her mouth. She smiled craftily. "Look who's talking, JERK!" On that last word she pulled her hands viciously to her sides and raised them, pushing Rui's entire body upwards on a fountain of water and then rolling him in it. By the time she was done, he was lying sideways two feet from the ground, encased in ice up to his neck. His laughter had stopped.

Katara raised an eyebrow. "Impressive, Tami. We may make a master out of you yet. Let him go before he gets frostbite, though." Rui frowned up at her. "Don't look so annoyed at her, Rui. You shouldn't have left yourself open to her attack."

"I didn't know we were starting-" Rui began, but noticed Katara's expression. "Uh. Right."

Katara smiled slightly before she could stop herself. "Alright, who wants to try again?"

Li walked in, breathless from running. At least he seemed to care that he was late… "I will, Miss Katara."

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It was only the second day of negotiations, and Aang was already stressed out. Not so much by the peace talks, but by something in the air. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but the air felt…wrong. It wasn't flowing correctly. He had felt it yesterday, too…but the meeting had gone without incident. Maybe he wasn't getting enough sleep.

He noticed that the murmuring hum of voices in the room had died down. He glanced around. The twenty or so council members seated around the stone table were looking at him expectantly. He suppressed his anxious thoughts and started the session.

"Day two. Let it begin." A few of the sitters looked surprised at the brief introduction, but Aang continued, plowing over their confusion. "We left off yesterday talking about the disputed cities Menata and Nishiki at the southern tip of the continent, yes? Sitter Hakoda, I believe you were making an interesting point about borders."

"Yes, Avatar Aang. I thought it interesting as I perused the updated map Sitter Ping provided us that although these cities are technically on Earth Kingdom soil, they are – if the key is correct, Ping – almost entirely made up of Fire Nation citizens."

"I was saying, Sitter Hakoda, that those cities were _not_ predominantly Fire Nation until the Fire Nation invaded and captured them, thus they have no claim to them. The cities weren't originally theirs!"

"But cities change hands over time. Borders change. And it is my understanding, Ping, that those far borderlands were conquered very early on in the Fire Nation campaign."

"_War_, you mean-"

"Gentlemen, again I encourage you to be civil with each other," Aang interjected, not looking at either man, the picture of serenity. Aang caught General Iroh grinning in amusement next to Ping. The man wasn't insulted very easily, that's for sure. Ping grumbled an apology and Hakoda continued.

"As I said, those cities have been Fire Nation for decades. Children have been born Fire Nation citizens in them. Fire Nation families have created homes in them. And really, are two cities all that important to the Earth Kingdom, which stretches from sun to sun?"

Sitter Ping was startled from his reply when the lanterns along the walls of the doorless, windowless room were extinguished. Before a single complaint filled the space, Aang heard the movement of fabric and a soft thunk, followed by a second thunk, accompanied by a strangled cry. No, the air _wasn't_ right.

Moving quickly, Aang stood and was about to bend a stream of fire along the tops of the lanterns to relight them when Iroh beat him to it. As the Sitters' eyes adjusted to the new light, Aang shifted his gaze to follow Iroh's suddenly horrified stare. His eyes fell on the one person whose mouth wasn't moving around confused words.

Hakoda.

The water tribe general was slumped back in his chair, his eyes closed, his mouth slack, and liquid, sticky and red, staining his tunic and dripping steadily to the floor.

Even though he knew it was too late, Aang earthbended the hidden doorways open and sent spirals of air in all directions, hoping to feel fleeing feet in one of the hallways, or perhaps trip up whoever had attacked Hakoda. He felt no evidence of a running assassin.

Iroh was next to Hakoda now, checking his wounds and feeling his pulse. "Avatar Aang, he needs healing. Very quickly," Iroh said in a calm, firm voice – although his eyes betrayed his fear for Hakoda's life. Aang, quite shaken himself, pointed to Ping.

"Find Katara at the Bending School. NOW."

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Toph let the boulder she had been balancing on her shoulders roll to the ground, standing straight in alarm. "Say that again, Makoto. Hakoda is hurt-?" She dusted off her hands and moved towards the old maid.

"Yes, lady. Hakoda of the water tribe was attacked. He is in critical condition. I have heard his daughter is healing him, but some think his wounds are too deep even for a waterbending master." Toph heard the maid's robes whisper as she moved back to the doorway.

General Hakoda –attacked? But for what purpose? This last group of peace talks were thought by many in the earth kingdom to be merely a formality, nailing down all the extraneous peripherals that the earlier talks had forgotten to address – trade embargoes, small border shifts, etc. Why would an assassination attempt occur now, of all times?

Katara would need a friend by her side. Toph knew how close she was with her father. She had said on multiple occasions that she was grateful her father's occupation allowed him to be so close by.

Toph moved so quickly through the doorway that she collided with a warm body on the other side. It was Aang.

"Toph, thank goodness." He held onto her tunic to steady himself, and Toph forgot to tell him to stop touching her.

"Thank goodness what? I heard about Hakoda. And Katara. I have to get over there."

"News travels fast, huh. And I'm just glad…you're alright."

Toph was a bit touched, but wouldn't let Aang have the satisfaction of knowing it. "Aang, no one would have the guts to assassinate me."

"Yes, well technically you _are_ on the council. Even though you send your butler as your stand-in – which I'm not sure is the best idea-"

"Not the time, Twinkletoes."

"Wow, you haven't called me _that_ since…well, it's been awhile."

"I'm going to Katara. You can either stop talking or keep talking and walk with me. But I'm walking fast. Try and keep up."

"Yes, Tophie."

"Well we're stamping down _that_ endearment before it catches on."

"…right." Apparently Aang had noticed that Toph was disconcerted in spite of her biting wit, because Toph felt his fingers curl around hers.

She balked. "Too demonstrative-"

"Just until we get to the hospital?" Aang asked hopefully.

Toph sighed and turned her head to hide it, sure that it had reddened slightly. "I…suppose. But I'll have you know, Twinkles, this is not a precedent for future affection."

"Oh, of course not." Toph couldn't see him grinning, but she felt the vibrations of his self-satisfaction. The idiot.

When they reached Hakoda's temporary sickroom, hastily put together down the hall from the council meeting, Toph could hear Katara's sobs through the door. She gave Katara the respect of coughing loudly and waiting a bit to let her gather herself, instead of bursting in as she was sure Aang would have done. She took the cough as an opportunity to extricate her hand from his and opened the door.

"I can't see him, Katara. Is he getting better or worse?" Urgh. Too blunt? She wasn't very good with these situations.

"Toph." Katara sniffled a little, and Toph heard her blow her nose. "I…I've done all I can. I really don't-hic-don't know if he'll make it or not. I just don't have the technique to fix this!"

Aang left Toph's side to rush over to Katara. By the sound of things, he had placed his hand on her shoulder. Or her arm? She couldn't quite tell, but whatever it was, it annoyed her. _Stop touching her, you idiot. No wonder she thought you were still in love with her. _

"Are you-" he started, but Toph interrupted.

"You should get some sleep. You can't just sit here and wait for him to improve."

"Yes, I _can_, Toph. I can and I will. He's my dad! I have to make sure he's alright!" Katara sniffed again.

Toph tried to calm her annoyance, but found it difficult with Aang still hovering near her friend. "Katara, come on. If you don't go get some sleep I will carry you to your room myself. Don't think I won't."

"Toph, I think Katara is pretty emotionally compromised right now, maybe now's not the time to-"

"Look, whatever. I hope your father gets better, Katara. But if you get sick yourself, don't blame me." Toph turned and brought all her strength of will to bear on _not_ breaking the door on her way out.

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**Wow, Toph. Little harsh. And what will happen to Hakoda?**

**I'll update soon, so you won't be in suspense for too long. :)**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14! Wooo. Some Toph, some Aang, some Katara, some Georg. Not necessarily in that order. Again, thank you for all the reviews, everyone! They are like fuel. Sweet, propane-y fuel.**

**I have to set up a few more things before Zuko and Katara can make out (hehehe), but I **_**guarantee**_** that there will be some Zutara in the next chapter. Sorry for the wait, Zutarans! All good things, right? The comforting shoulder is right around the corner, –JansenFriedh827- & WoodysRedBo!**

**DigiBentoBox – fair point on the names. True, a lot of the water tribe names we've heard in the series have those harsher sounds (like the k). Then again, a lot of fire nation names have similar harshness (Zuko, Roku, etc.) and a lot of water tribe names don't (Yue, Bato). Plus, waterbenders from the swamp don't seem to follow the same name rules (Huu, Tho, Due, etc.). I think I'll keep them as is (probably more because I'm attached to them than anything else, haha), but thank you for the comment! **

**Anonymous I Think – you, my friend, rock at reviewing. The line break. Priceless. :)**

**Chapter 14**

Well that hadn't gone well. Toph had meant to comfort her friend, calm her down, but had only made the situation worse. She was turning into a regular jealous girly-girl. When had _that_ happened? She wasn't the type of person to let jealousy dominate her actions.

Well, nothing to be done but to apologize. Toph paused and rolled her shoulders, stretching one of her arms across her body as if getting ready for round two of a tournament brawl. Sighing, she wiped her hands against her skirts, swiveled, and re-entered the room.

"So why exactly can't you heal your father? I thought you were a master at this." So much for an apology…

Katara knew the bluntness of her friend, and to her credit, didn't take Toph's words as a slight. "I…" Another sniff. "I don't know. By all accounts, he should be fine right now. But for some reason, all my healing bends are falling short. It's like I'm fighting against something I can't see."

"Join the club. Has the doctor looked at him yet?"

"Only superficially. He had to run and get some supplies for testing, so he left dad in my hands. I thought I'd have fixed him by the time the doctor returned." Katara's voice was losing some of its emotion. It seemed that talking about the situation logically was helping her remove herself from the pain. Now to keep her thinking about this, rather than focusing on her worry. Katara worried so much about others, it would consume her one of these days…

"You should have. You're better than this case makes you seem. I've seen you heal much worse in much less time."

"Toph, what are you saying? Is something else wrong with Hakoda?" Aang had shifted away from Katara a bit. Maybe the sensitive monk had picked up on Toph's annoyance. Or maybe it was coincidental.

Toph shook her head, bemused. "Not sure. But maybe the good doctor can tell us."

At that moment, a grizzled physician entered the room. Aang perked up.

"I never get tired of that, Toph!"

Toph allowed him a grin and turned toward the door. "Well, doctor, do you think you can figure out why a master waterbender can't heal superficial knife wounds?"

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Katara was glad Toph didn't hold a grudge longer than about five seconds. She had guessed that Aang was acting too familiar with her for Toph's liking, and as soon as Toph had stormed out had ushered him away a few feet. He probably still didn't understand why, the walrus-headed buffoon.

The doctor motioned her away from her father so he could get a closer look. She didn't even know the man's name, but he seemed capable. He peeled back a few bandages to observe the wounds and gazed into her father's lidded eyes, nodding thoughtfully. "Yes, that makes sense," he muttered.

"Have you discovered something, doctor…?"

"Doctor Gin, child." Child? She hadn't been a child for seven years! How ridiculous of him to- "I believe that your father cannot recover from his wounds because his body's healing capacity has been compromised by a foreign agent."

Huh? "Excuse me, but could you tell me exactly what that means?" She paused for an answer, which he didn't give. She tried again. "Will he be alright?" Gin glanced at her while he continued to examine Hakoda.

"Hold this." He held out a metal implement, which Katara gingerly took. "He will, but only because I recently concocted an antidote for this particular poison."

"_Poison_?" Katara asked, hearing her two friends join in her surprised exclamation.

Gin nodded, not looking at them. "Yes, a foreign agent. Compromising his body's-"

"-ability to heal, yes, I understand now, thank you doctor." Next time, just say poison! "But you have the antidote."

"Yes."

"So he will recover?"

"Yes. But my question is, what kind of earth kingdom assassin attacks someone with a double-bladed daito laced with a poison so rare that had I not read a very obscure medical book last week, I would not have known the symptoms?"

"Double-bladed?" Aang asked, a sudden look of surprise flickering across his face. Katara raised an eyebrow in confusion. She had never heard the term applied to a sword before. Tongues, maybe.

"Indeed. Notice the slash marks on his chest." Gin ran his finger lightly underneath one of the wounds. It consisted of two thin slices, separated by about a half inch of space, perfectly parallel. "In terms of depth, superficial. Probably the assassin was relying on the poison to kill his victim."

Aang nodded, looking a bit in awe of the good doctor. Katara wasn't quite as impressed. If she had _known_ her father was poisoned, she probably could have figured out a way to heal him. She almost muttered her thoughts but another intruded on her annoyance.

"Gin-"

"Doctor Gin, young lady." The doctor was now pouring some dry ingredients he had pulled from a dark black box into a small, stone bowl.

Katara suppressed her frustration. "My…apologies. I was just wondering – where did this obscure medical book you read come from?"

"Ah, yes. That book. Let me think." Gin paused in his ministrations for a moment. "Oh, yes. I bought it in Hertzer, when last I visited the place. Great sunsets on that island, I must say…"

By the time Katara had closed her mouth, she realized that both Aang and Toph were gone.

Oh, no. He didn't. He couldn't have.

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Aang walked with purpose towards the rooms of the Central Building which housed the loyal remnant of the once great, but corrupted, police agency. The Dai Li. He knew they were already hard at work searching for any signs of the person who tried to kill General Hakoda.

He had to tell them what he now knew. The assassin wasn't some earth kingdom dissident. The assassin used a rare poison from country from which visitors were even rarer. And that knife…

"Toph, you saw those wounds."

Toph was gripping his hand tightly, ostensibly because she couldn't navigate so well at the pace they were going. "Well, no. But I heard them described."

"Sorry."

"No need. Do you have an idea who did it?"

"An inkling of a suggestion of an idea. But it's not a good one."

Toph yanked on his hand, jolting him to a stop. He looked around at her questioningly. "What is it?"

"Why don't you tell me what the plan is before we burst in on the Dai Li and accuse someone?"

"I'm not just going to accuse someone, I'm going to present evidence-"

"Aang, you know as well as I that though the Dai Li are _loyal_, they aren't exactly _gentle_ with their suspects. Old habits, you know? So maybe we should make sure this guy is actually guilty before sicking them on him!"

"We can't find _out_ whether he's guilty or innocent unless we let them question him! And the Dai Li will be insulted if they aren't in on it. Also, I'm pretty sure it's their legal right and responsibility to-"

"Are you sure?"

"-question the suspects thems-huh?" Aang blinked. Toph looked more serious than he had ever seen her.

"Are you sure, Aang? Are you sure you want to do this?"

Aang closed his mouth and grabbed her other hand, wishing not for the first time she could see his expression. "I am. If this person did it, I can't just let him get away with it. I have to bring him to justice. It's my responsibility." Toph squeezed his hands. It was like his birthday.

"Well, then, let's tell them to arrest Georg." She brushed past him and dragged him along.

"You knew?"

"I always know." She stopped talking for a while then lifted her head as if remembering something. "Mai is not going to be happy about this."

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Georg's feet hurt from all the walking. The central courts were a long distance from his lodgings. But ah, well. He was in such a good mood after his…chat…with Mai, that even an annoyance like sore feet or an interrogation by the Dai Li couldn't dampen it. He yawned a bit, which seemed to put the slight woman across the table – his questioner – off. She slammed her fist on the table.

"I hope you don't think this is funny, King. A man is dying right now."

"Really? I heard he's actually recovering quite well." At the woman's confusion, Georg responded, "Oh, profusest apologies, lady. I listened as we walked here. News travels quite quickly in these streets." He smiled, hoping to deflate her anger. It was of no use.

When the Avatar had shown up at his door along with the Dai Li, Georg had been confused, but as the story unfolded, he was sure it was all a misunderstanding. Of course they couldn't think he had tried to assassinate this General Hakoda. Katara was a good friend of his. He wouldn't think of harming her father. And why in the world did he care about the peace talks? Hertzer had nothing to do with it.

He would simply explain himself, and all would be well. But his questioner didn't look like she wanted to hear any explanations.

Georg was saved from more awkward conversation when a tall, tough-looking man with a scar across his face stalked in, shutting the door of the cell behind him. The woman almost cowered in his presence, standing up and moving quickly to the side. He sat down.

"King Georg of Hertzer, I presume." Georg suppressed a laugh at the man's nasally voice. It was likely not the best idea to insult your interrogator before the questioning even started.

Instead, Georg cleared his throat and answered. "That is correct, questioner."

The man nodded. "My name is Hachiro Fukuyama, First Lieutenant of the Dai Li security forces. You picked a pretty terrible city to attempt a first-class assassination, friend." His face made it clear his last word was a blatant lie.

"Guilty until proven innocent in the Earth Kingdom, eh? I'll have to remember that next time."

"One." Hachiro spoke and held up a finger, ignoring Georg's response. Shame, it had been quite a witty retort. Oh, he was talking again. "Poison in General Hakoda's system identified as a rare mixture derived from ingredients – and recipe – found only in the country of Hertzer. Where you are King."

"Yes, throw a noose around my neck, I'm from Hertzer. Surely you don't condemn me on those grounds. I thought logic was a gift granted to all God's creatures."

Hachiro frowned, but continued. "Two." Two fingers this time. Georg could see exactly where this was going. "The blade used to injure – almost fatally – General Hakoda identified as a double-bladed daito, of a design, length and weight unique – luckily for us – to one particular weapon." He reached below the table and pulled out a long dual blade, its antique metal glimmering in the lantern light. Georg blanched. Maybe not exactly...

"This belongs to you, yes?"

Georg gritted his teeth. Why couldn't people just frame pictures and leave it at that? He had a country to run. Although he knew no explanation would be satisfactory, he took a shot. "That knife has been in my boot consistently for the last six months. I can promise you I haven't drawn it since I've been in this country. I did not try to assassinate General Hakoda!"

"We will record your plea of not guilty, however you should be aware that the evidence so far suggests otherwise. At any rate, it would be foolish of us to let a potential killer wander the streets. You will be contained in one of our secure underground cells until a trial can be arranged. Is there anyone you would like to contact?" Georg let his head fall. So much for his good mood.

"Yes. A teacher at the Bending School."

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**Georg! I thought I knew you! (sobs in a corner)**


	15. Chapter 15

**And now, that moment you've all been waiting for…drumroll, please…**

**The next chapter! More plot! And maybe some Zuko? I dunno, it seemed like you guys wanted to see him or something. :D**

**Thanks as always for the reviews!**

**Chapter 15**

"I can't believe you think Georg would be capable of something like that! Of all my friends, I've always thought you were the most _grounded_, but the JOKE'S on me, isn't it?"

Mai paced across the room, as emotional as Toph had ever known her. Toph had been expecting this kind of reaction. Yes, Mai was generally blasé, but Georg had been breaking her of that particular habit. Add to that the fact that she was obviously in love with the man, and the result was this. A very unstable knife-throwing expert. Toph wondered why she wasn't sweating.

Mai kept up her tirade. "Did you even _bother_ to ask me what I thought before sending him off to some cell? Did you?" Toph opened her mouth to respond, but Mai cut her off. "Don't answer that. I'm really, really mad right now, and I don't really _get_ mad, so I'm going to stop talking before I say or do something-" she stopped pacing and took a deep breath, letting it out in a slow sigh. "stupid." Toph thought of apologizing, but knew Mai would think it a useless gesture, so she held her tongue. Toph heard Mai's clothing rustle as she moved. "Do you know where he is?"

Toph nodded, folding her arms. "He's being kept in the highest security cells beneath the Dai Li quarters. I'm not sure anyone is allowed to visit."

Mai laughed, then; a little evilly, Toph thought. "They can't stop me. Georg is in danger right now."

Toph raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Why's that?"

"I know this sounds paranoid, but he _is_ a king. People have been trying to kill him since before we met. With him confined behind bars, this is the perfect opportunity." Mai shifted again. Maybe she was looking at Toph now, because her tone softened. "Toph, I know you're sorry about this, even if you haven't said so." Toph wiped her hands on her skirt, feeling suddenly ashamed. It wasn't a feeling she enjoyed.

Mai spoke again. "So if you _are_ sorry about this..." she paused. Was she trying to gauge what Toph was thinking? Of course she was sorry. She couldn't imagine what Mai must be experiencing right now. "Find the real assassin."

Toph's wit got the better of her. "You want the blind girl to look for something?"

Mai sighed, exasperated. "Yes, Toph. You and Katara. And tell Ty Lee, too."

"Why? The Dai Li are already investigating. And you have no guarantee that-" she cut herself off just in time. _That Georg isn't a cold-blooded killer_. Mai was quiet. Maybe she had inferred what Toph was about to say.

In the silence, Toph now tried to imagine what she hadn't been able to before - what it would be like if Aang were in the same situation Georg was now in. She felt her cheeks warm with muted anger. Wouldn't she do the same as Mai? Wouldn't she do anything she could to exonerate the man she…she lifted her head and nodded. "I'll do it."

"Thank you." Mai was regaining her old tone. "I'll be at his cell while you search. If you don't find whoever did this…" Mai paused at the door.

"I'm fired."

"I don't know. But I don't know what I'll do if Georg is convicted for a crime he didn't commit." Mai swept out into the hallway, and Toph listened as her footsteps receded.

"What if he did commit it, Mai?" Toph spoke softly.

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Aang was sitting outside in the school courtyard. He heard Mai angrily yelling something he didn't understand and cringed, lowering his head. He felt horrible for doing this to her. But if Georg really did attack Hakoda, Aang couldn't sit by and do nothing.

After a few minutes, Toph wandered out into the yard, sighing heavily. "Well, Twinkles, she's convinced he's innocent."

"I'm not so sure she's wrong. I just can't take a chance."

"I know. She asked me to look for the real assassin for her."

Aang rubbed the top of his head and felt bristles. He'd have to shave soon. Shame that Toph couldn't do it for him; he'd always thought it'd be romantic to have a girl shave his head. But romance was something that made Toph particularly uncomfortable.

He didn't understand why. It wasn't like he threw himself at her. They hadn't even kissed yet, and they'd been dating…what was it? Something like six months. My goodness, that was a long time to go without…

And then he was picturing it, and Toph was standing in front of him, and he couldn't get the image out of his head. All of a sudden his reticence went out the window. Why couldn't he kiss her? They were dating, weren't they? And although Toph hadn't actually said it in so many words, Aang knew she liked him. Maybe if he did it subtly, he could kiss her so quickly she wouldn't have time to object. And then she would…get really angry and drop a boulder on his head.

No, he couldn't just steal a kiss from her. He wasn't a playboy. He wanted to cherish his relationship with Toph. She smiled down at him sympathetically, oblivious to his thoughts. He had kept his feet curled under him on the bench so she couldn't interpret his vibrations as well as she usually did. "Don't feel too bad. I'm sure at some level, she understands." Toph reached out her hand, feeling for his shoulder, but Aang grabbed it and pressed it against his cheek. Toph jumped a little at the feeling. "Woah, Aang, you have soft-"

Aang stood up so he was hovering over her. "-skin." He let go of her hand, but she kept it on his face. He smiled, sure that she could feel the muscles of his mouth moving.

"Toph, I've sort of been wanting to ask you this for a while." Toph pressed her lips together and clenched her other hand, laying her fist against his chest. If her face hadn't looked so anxious he might have thought she meant to punch him.

"Aang."

"Toph, please. We've been dating for a while now."

"True statement, Tw-" she cleared her throat. "Yes."

"I don't want to push you into anything."

"Aang."

"I mean, really, I don't want to force you-"

"You can't force me to do anything! Just say what you want to say!" Toph yelled and gripped his shirt, breathing heavily. "What is it?"

"Can I kiss you?"

Aang expected her to balk and laugh in his face, but instead she paused as if considering something, then blushed and clumsily shifted her hands behind his neck, leaning her weight slightly against him. He laughed a little at the concentration in her face. "You look like this is something you do every day!" he jabbed playfully.

"Shut up! I'm already nervous, you don't have to be stupid about it."

He scooped his hand behind her head and thumbed her chin. "Okay. I'm leaning in now. I'm about to kiss you. Are you ready?"

"Quit it with the monologue and do it already!"

"Right." This was the definition of awkward. But as he leaned closer and closer to her, her face relaxed and became, if it was possible, even more beautiful than it was before. He breathed against her mouth and spoke once more. "You are so beautiful, Toph." She took in a breath of surprise, but before she could respond, he captured her lips with his.

The kiss lasted only a few seconds before Toph shoved Aang away roughly and spun to the side. "Who's there? So help me, if you don't show yourself, I'm going to lift the whole courtyard up and throw it into the lake!" Aang recovered enough to notice someone rustling in the bushes.

"Zuko?"

The Fire Lord walked forward from where he had been standing, dumbstruck. "I wasn't- I was just looking for-"

"Great! Just great. My most vulnerable moment and YOU just HAD to be looking for Katara!" Toph stomped the ground, sending dust flying everywhere. By the time it had cleared, she was sitting on the bench, her hands on her knees, her head turned away, the picture of an insulted queen.

"You were ki…I mean, ki-" Zuko seemed to be trying to force the word from his lips.

Aang finished the word for him. "Kissing. Yes, is that such a problem?"

Zuko crossed his arms and shook his head furiously. "Of course not. I just didn't know you were…and she…and Katara…does she know?"

"No, we've been meeting clandestinely for six months now, too ashamed of our own desires to let our best friends know about it," Toph quipped.

"_I_ didn't know about it."

"You were in the Fire Nation. It didn't really come up." Aang said, looking apologetic. "Listen, you should probably go see Katara. Her fath-"

"So she _does_ know. She's known all along?"

"Yes, but-"

"All along," Zuko said musingly before pausing and looking down, his bewilderment melting into a soft smile. "So she doesn't love you anymore."

"No, but Zuko-"

"She hasn't loved you. For a long time." Zuko let out a small chuckle.

Aang tried not to feel insulted and told Zuko what he needed to know. "Hakoda was attacked. Katara is with him as we speak."

Zuko's head shot up, his expression shifting from dazed happiness to simultaneous anger and worry. "By who?"

"Don't know yet. We're trying to figure all that out," Toph chimed in, looking a little less miffed. Zuko spun on his heel and started running towards the edge of the courtyard.

"Wait! You don't even know which hospital- aaand he's not paying attention to me." Aang dropped the arm that he had flung out, intending to trip the Fire Lord with a current of air but deciding against it at the last minute. "Ugh, he doesn't even know where she is! How is he going to find her?" Aang let a little of his exasperation bleed into his tone.

Toph sighed. "I wouldn't worry. He'll figure it out." She stood and walked towards the school. "I hope you know, by the way, that _that_ is not going to happen again unless there is no possibility of being observed."

"What, kissing? So you liked it?"

"I didn't _not_ like it. It was…not what I was expecting."

Well, Aang _had_ to figure that statement out. "In a good way? Or a bad way? Because we can try again right now-"

"Your clinginess levels are increasing at a dangerous speed, Twink."

"Right."

Maybe after dinner…

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Hakoda would be fine. It was wonderful news, but Katara was so deadly exhausted she could barely feels the effects of it. She had been at his side, either bending as she could or assisting Doctor Gin, for what seemed like days now. Even Gin, with his penchant for ordering, hadn't bothered to order her away. He could see the determination in her eyes.

But now she was finished. Her father was slowly regaining his original color, and Gin himself had said he was no longer needed; that a regular person could provide for Hakoda's needs. Katara finally felt comfortable enough to leave the room. Even now, though, she hesitated on the balcony near the stairs, almost dreamily gazing across the line of buildings facing the hospital, taking in the moonlight glittering on the far away lake. "Beautiful," she whispered to herself.

"I was about to say the same thing."

Katara jumped at the deep, gruff voice of a man she had seen recently in her dreams but so long ago in reality. Her hands automatically gripped her apron to keep from shaking. Or attacking him, pinning him down, and-

"Katara?" He stood at the bottom of the stairs drinking her in, his eyes worried, a soft smile lightening his features. His bangs were hanging too low. She felt a strong urge to rush down and brush them aside, but spoke to quell the urge.

"Zuko." She smiled back. She wanted to beam. "When did you get here?"

"About two hours ago. I was looking for you." He started walking slowly up the stairs. For some reason, though he still looked worried, Katara noticed a steady fire in his expression and was put in mind of a tiger prowling for its prey. Somehow, she wasn't frightened.

But then she heard something shifting in the sickroom behind her and the memory of the past three days flashed through her mind. Hakoda, her father, almost dead at the hand of another. She, suddenly incapable, unable to use her defining talent to help him. The stress, the worry, the pain – all these things dropped onto her shoulders like a ton of sand. Her joy at seeing Zuko crumpled under the weight.

When she spoke next, tears had begun seeping from her eyes, and her voice shook as she tried to force it into coherence. "Zuko- my father- !" She broke off in a sob and pressed the heels of her hands against her mouth to stifle further crying, her fingers brushing her nose, her eyes squeezed shut against a torrent of hot liquid.

Then strong arms were around her, supporting her, warming her against the chill of the night and her loneliness and worry, telling her without words that everything was okay. Because he was there. She felt his scarred cheek almost sear the skin of her neck as she clung to him and pulled him closer, because no matter how close he was, it was never going to be enough.

Everything in her told her to turn her head toward his, to turn, turn, TURN but she was frightened, frightened of what might happen if she did, and then the sobs that wrenched at her forced her to muffle their force in the silky smoothness of his coat.

He just held her, softly, quietly, waiting patiently as the sobs faded to cries, and then to shuddering breaths, and then to slow breathing. She almost felt she could fall asleep standing up. She could hear his heartbeat. It matched hers.

"Is he doing okay?"

She sniffed and almost whispered her reply. "Yes."

A few minutes later, she heard something rumble deep in his throat. Was he coughing? No, the rumble seemed deliberate. After a little bit of confused listening, she realized he was humming. Horribly. But after a while, she could make it out. She smiled and pulled back enough to look up at him.

"I know this song."

He was pulling his chin into his neck with the effort of seeing her, she was so close to him. His warm breath tickled her forehead. Would he- might he try-? But he only smiled and continued humming, pulling her back to rest her head on his shoulder. "You promised, remember?"

With a slight laugh, Katara started to sing.

"Oh, hallowed flame that courage raises, here in me to dwell again…"

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**Dawww. Zuzu's so cute when he tries to carry a tune. **


	16. Chapter 16

**Yay! A new chapter. Intrigue time. **

**Again, thanks for the reviews!**

**Chapter 16**

The embrace hadn't lasted nearly long enough. Now that Zuko knew that Katara's heart was free he wanted to imprison it once more. But in order to do that, he had to woo her. And he couldn't _woo_ her if her brother randomly burst in on them every time any progress occurred!

Sokka had arrived as quickly as he could, he had said, and of course that made sense. His father had been almost mortally wounded. It was only natural that his son should travel back from wherever in the world he had been and visit. But did he have to arrive at that exact moment? It wasn't like Zuko was necessarily planning anything in particular, but he _was_ planning something involving either kissing every inch of Katara or just…holding her forever.

But Katara didn't have to look _quite_ so happy to see Sokka, at least not to the point of forgetting Zuko was even there. He was more than a little miffed at that. And Suki had looked so slyly at Katara. Zuko was sure they were going to have some sort of wily feminine conversation about the hug; what it meant, and what she felt, and what Zuko was thinking, and what she thought about what Zuko was thinking. He had heard Mai and Ty Lee tittering behind his back enough to know what would happen once he left. And that type of conversation could go either very well or very poorly for him.

Ugh, it was ridiculous not to be able to control the situation. Part of him wanted to return to the Fire Nation just to reaffirm to himself that he could, in fact, order some people around.

As he walked along the darkened street toward the inn where he was staying, he heard footsteps on the cobblestones about twenty feet behind him. He wasn't feeling particularly nonconfrontational at the moment, so he spun around and clenched his fists, taking up a defensive firebending stance but keeping his flames doused. To his credit, the man, face shadowed by a heavy hood, did not jump back in fear. He merely completed the distance separating him from Zuko and bowed slightly. "Fire Lord Zuko, yes?"

Zuko raised an eyebrow, but nodded, maintaining his position.

The man held up a hand. "Do not worry. I am not here to attack you. That would benefit me nothing. I merely have a proposition I would like to discuss. In less of an open area, you understand."

Zuko noticed a hint of an accent in the man's lilting tone. And his curiosity was getting the better of him. Zuko nodded again. "Lead on."

The hooded man walked with a pronounced limp, leading Zuko around corners, under bridges, and through some generally shady areas until he reached a small room in the side of a building near Ba Sing Se's massive outer wall. One lantern shone in the greasy window. Zuko wrinkled his nose, but followed the man in, the hairs on his neck prickling as the door shut behind them.

The man gestured for Zuko to sit then pulled his hood back. Zuko shook his head to refuse the seat, preferring to keep his back away from this character, whose limp had miraculously disappeared as soon as the door was closed.

"Let me get to the point so we can both get some rest, yes?" The man, seeming somewhat disconcerted that Zuko wasn't sitting down, decided to lean against the opposing wall. He pressed his fingers together in a tent. "I can guarantee you trade options with Hertzer."

Ah, so that explained the accent. But Hertzer was a tiny, insignificant little country. In terms of trade, it would only provide a small benefit to the Fire Nation. This man didn't have to know that. "Really. And why should I believe you?"

The man held up his hand. On his pinky finger was a signet ring engraved with a strange, sinuous symbol – a letter in the Hertzian tongue, perhaps? "This ring is proof that my family belongs to the royal line of Hertzer. I have the influence it would take to ensure that the Fire Nation gets every penny they can from our country." He paused. Zuko raised an eyebrow, encouraging the man to state his case. "I- I have no reason to deceive you, Fire Lord, but I do need to get a certain person out of the way in order to secure the throne for my daughter." The man looked puzzled, as if he had said more than he intended.

Zuko smiled a bit darkly. "Alright. Say I do believe you, and say I'm interested in your offer. What do you want from me?"

"Convict this man."

Zuko suppressed a look of puzzlement. Who was he talking about, now? The only other Hertzian Zuko knew of was Georg, and he only knew two things about him – that he was dating Mai, and that he was…king of Hertzer. Ah.

"On what grounds could I possibly justify doing that?"

"He has already been arrested, you see, on charges that he attacked a man on the Council. All you need do is…encourage the Dai Li in one direction."

Bribe them? Only necessary if the man in chains was innocent. Well, good for Mai. Her lover wasn't a killer.

But that meant that this, this leering mustached buffoon attempting to use bribery to obtain bribery, was the face behind the assassination attempt. Had it really all been just to frame this Georg fellow and get him out of the way? If Hakoda had died, the sentence for the assassin might well have been death…Zuko almost scoffed in the man's face. He was pettier than the worst of Zuko's subjects.

Well, excluding Azula.

Zuko tipped his head and stared through his bangs at the man, examining him in the dim light of the lantern. He was old, roughly…fifty-five, maybe? And overweight. Obviously not the type to infiltrate a closed room and attempt to assassinate someone. Who had he hired? And how many others were in the man's employ? Zuko had an idea how he might find out.

"Alright, Hertzian. We will have to discuss further what you will do for me before I will stick my neck out for you." He let some of his outrage add danger to his tone. It got results.

"C-Certainly, Fire Lord."

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Sparring without a teacher in the room was kinda nice for a change. Rui had learned a lot from Sifu Katara, but she was a little too…well, instructive. "No, no, you have to lift your arm like THIS. And oh, you'll get more power if you twist just like THIS. Let me show you. Let me show you. Hold on, let me-"

That was why these side practices with Li were so helpful. Sometimes the only way to learn something was to get up and do it. "This time the ice wall is going to work. And I am going to kick your waterbending butt."

Li smiled as if holding back a laugh. "Right, Rui. The first ten tries were just to put me off my guard, huh?"

Rui glowered at him, wanting to stick out his tongue but knowing that would be childish. Li's smile only grew wider. "You ready?"

"Of course I'm ready!" Rui reached into the water barrel to his left and pulled up a stream of liquid, spreading it on the ground at his feet. Instead of pulling water from his own barrel, Li, a look of concentration on his face, reached his hands forward, planted his feet, and pulled Rui's puddle up into a thin sheet. Rui saw Li's form clearly through the ripple-less film, furrowed his brows and yelled: "Hey! No-"

Before he could finish, Li had spun around completely and pushed his hands forward, throwing the whole sheet of water straight into Rui's face. He was drenched. Rui spluttered and shook his head. "-fair," he finished, his lower lip sticking out.

This was the way all their sparring had ended, with Li laughingly triumphant and Rui drenched and acting more like the child he was than he ever wanted to admit to. Li exacerbated Rui's annoyance by walking up to him and ruffling his drenched hair, pulling some of the water away.

"You _almost_ had me that time, kid."

"I told you never to call me that."

"So you did. When you beat me you can tell me what to call you."

"When-?"

Li laughed. "You're getting better and better every day, Rui. I'm sure you'll be able to beat me one of these times." Rui forced himself not to grin, an effort that was helped by Li's next utterance. "Until then, I call you 'kid.'"

Rui went back to moping, starting the process of collecting all the excess water into his bucket. He started with the water on the ground, but before he got very far, he paused, noticing something glittering on the ground. Puzzled, he bent down and picked it up. It was a ring.

A really girly ring. He couldn't look at it for long, because Li was suddenly next to him, snatching the ring from his hand. Rui looked up, surprised. Li's expression was inscrutable. "Sorry about that. Chain must have come undone. It happens sometimes." Li turned his back to Rui and started fiddling with the ring. When he turned back, the ring was laced onto a thin silver chain around Li's neck. He dropped it into his shirt, hiding it from view, but not before Rui noticed another feature.

"What's that symbol? I've never seen it before."

Li shrugged. "'sfrom some girl back home. Don't really know." But his face had darkened slightly.

Rui nudged Li with an elbow as they walked back to the student lodge. "Some girl as in _some girl_" Rui said emphatically, raising his eyebrows and batting his eyelids, clapping his hands to his cheeks for good measure, "or some girl as in," he dropped his hands to his sides made his face emotionless and uncaring, "eh, some girl…?"

Li rolled his eyes. "None of your business, kid."

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"I told you, I haven't seen Zuko all day." Ty Lee shoved another mouthful of noodles into her tireless mouth, chewing quickly and swallowing in the time it took Katara to eat three bites. "He's probably still asleep or something. You know how tiring travel can be."

Katara nodded, still unconvinced. She had a bone to pick with him. He had left pretty quickly once Sokka had burst in on their…what had it been? A comforting hug? But it hadn't been just any hug, had it? She was sure she had seen something in those amber eyes of his…

"Anyway, you wanna start our investigation? Sounds like it'll be fun!"

And he had hummed to her! She'd never heard him even attempt anything musical before. That said something, right? Right?

Toph arrived then and cleared her throat, shaking Katara from her thoughts. "You're doing it again, Katara." She slid a chair out and sat down.

Katara realized she was now humming that stupid song again and rolled her eyes to cover her embarassment. "Sorry, Toph. Um. Oh, yeah. Ty Lee, since when are you so interested in hunting down assassins?"

"That might not exist, I might add," Toph chimed in. They were eating at an outdoor restaurant across from the hospital, so Katara could check in with Hakoda before they started their search.

"Since when am I _not _interested in basically any activity? Ever?" Ty Lee grinned. "Come on, it'll be fun. I haven't done anything this exciting in years." She fairly bounced in her seat. "Plus, we might get to actually fight someone! No sparring! I can paralyze people to my heart's content!"

"It's a little creepy when you say things like that in such a cheerful tone," Toph remarked, brushing her hair over her shoulder. "Did you order me something?"

"Yeah, the noodles. You like those, right?" Toph made a noncommittal noise, and Katara continued. "Well, I don't think we'll have to fight anyone. At least, I hope not." Katara took another bite of her chicken.

"Then why the water pouch?" Ty Lee smiled knowingly. "Oh, come on! You want just as much as me to be able to fight for reals again. Sparring with little bitty children just doesn't cut it. I haven't had an adrenaline rush in so long!"

"Aside from the spider incident?"

"Well, that goes without saying…"

After they had all eaten, they fell to discussing possible leads. They started with Hakoda's wounds.

Ty Lee bit her lip. "I dunno. I talked to my friend in the Dai Li – you remember her, right? Jun? Ha, she told me the funniest shopping story yesterday, I have to tell you-"

"Maybe later," Toph said, obviously not in the mood.

"Right, right. Later. Well, anyway, Jun said that one of the biggest marks against Georg is his knife – the exact same blade separation, weight, length, everything that would cause those wounds. And it's unique. Apparently, Georg has the only one of its type they have ever seen."

"Well, couldn't there be others like it? In Hertzer?" Katara asked.

Ty Lee shook her head. "Georg himself admitted that the knife was made specially to order for the King when he was crowned."

Katara mused, her chin resting on her hand. "But couldn't someone have copied the knife? To frame him?"

"That seems unlikely. Whoever actually forged the copy would have been interviewed by the Dai Li. And you know how good they are at getting information. And how would the person have seen the knife, and tested its balance and weight? Remember Mai said that Georg always had that knife in his boot because he was sure some spies or something were out to get him." Toph leaned back after saying this, at a loss for a solution. Other than that Georg was guilty, of course.

Ty Lee crossed her arms, her brow furrowed. "You know, I hadn't thought this was that important before, but now it could be, I dunno. I remember one time reading a letter from my cousin where he told me some of the folklore of Hertzer. I know, boooring, right? But anyway, this one story he told was apparently about this event that happened in the history of Hertzer, like really really long ago. These waterbenders attacked the island, right? And they used, as he said it, weapons of water."

Ty Lee paused, making sure they were still listening. "So yeah, I always thought _weapons of water_ was sort of redundant, because, I mean, duh, waterbenders use water as a weapon. But maybe it was more literal than I thought. Maybe these particular waterbenders actually used weapons – like knives and swords – _made_ of water." She stopped, breathless, and waited for the others to respond.

Katara was unconvinced, and was about to say so when an unfamiliar voice piped in. "That seems plausible."

All three women jumped as if someone had goosed them. Katara focused on the new addition to their table.

"Yuki?" The gangly teen was sitting calmly in a chair, looking as if she belonged at the table with three of her teachers. Not as a student. As an equal. Yuki spoke again.

"It would be the perfect plan. Fashion a knife out of ice to have the same balance and blade as King Georg's, then bend it back to water. No evidence, no duplicate to pop up later, and the king's head is in the noose."

Katara raised an eyebrow at Yuki's assuredness, but she did make a good point. Toph spoke next.

"Yuki, as you know, students are strictly forbidden from wandering around the city on their own."

"Well, I had to come alone."

"You had to." Toph was wry. Then again, when _wasn't_ Toph wry?

"I want to help you. Find the real assassin." Yuki seemed like she wanted to say more, but struggled, finally leaning back in her chair as if deciding to hold her tongue.

Katara was intrigued. "Yuki, how did you know we were even meeting? And why is it so vital that you take part?"

Yuki's glance flitted to Katara's face, then to the chattering people around them in the restaurant. "Are you finished eating?"

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_**Is**_** she finished eating? The world may never know.**

**Let's hear some hypotheses!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Good hypotheses! Some of you are extremely close, some of you are not so close. But of course I won't tell you who's who. That would make things too easy! :D**

**Oh, I had an idea - are any of you artistically inclined? I'd like to post a short description of this story in my profile (my empty, empty profile) along with any graphics depicting any of the scenes. If you feel so inclined, I'd love some fanart! Mmmm...zutarart...**

**If you do decide to draw something (which would make me ever so happy, yay!), you can pm me or just post it on deviant art or something and send me the link. On to Chapter 17...  
**

**Chapter 17**

Once back at Katara's office in the school, Yuki was a bit more forthcoming.

"Look, I heard Ty Lee talking to Toph after class. That's how I knew you were meeting."

So much for being clandestine…

"And I know King Georg didn't do it. He's not the type of man to assassinate someone from the shadows."

How did Yuki know anything about Georg? And why did she insist on calling him King? "Yuki, I appreciate your concern, but we have this under control. I don't want to endanger your welfare."

"Please, Katara." No honorific. Really, this girl…

"No," Toph said, flat-out. "You're a student. Students don't hunt down killers."

"And how old were you when you fought against the fire nation?" Katara was taken aback at the passion in Yuki's voice. "How old were you when you helped the Avatar defeat the evil Fire Lord?"

"Yuki-"

"You were younger than me! So I don't think you can reasonably tell me not to help you!" The three teachers were silent, considering the tall girl who was now shivering under the force of her emotions. "Please, let me help. I don't care how."

Ty Lee spoke first. "Okay!"

"Ty Lee –"

"Oh, come ON, Toph, she's right. We've all been doing crazy things like this since we were teenagers. Plus she's a good bender, right?"

Toph frowned, but nodded. "Yes, she is." Yuki smiled a little at this.

Suddenly, the door to the office flew open and a young man stormed in. "Sifu Katara! Have you seen Rui anywhere?" It was Li. He didn't look very happy.

"Um, thank you for the bending…tips. I have to go." Katara noticed that Yuki looked suddenly disconcerted. Her face was flushed. Li was very pointedly _not_ looking Yuki's way, but coughed slightly as she brushed past him to get to the door. She jumped and practically sprinted out of the office. Hmm. What was that about?

Katara raised an eyebrow. "Not recently, Li. Why are you so anxious to find him?" Li was now gazing out the window, and when Katara looked as well, she noticed Yuki walking through the courtyard. "Li?"

He started when he heard his name a second time. "Oh, ah. Yes. He stole something of mine. I'd kind of like it back."

Some skittering feet in the hallway told Katara that someone was running full force toward the office. They all turned and looked interestedly at the door. Rui's face popped into view.

"Sifu Katara, I have a couple scrapes, could you-woah, nevermind!" Rui had seen Li a little too late, but tried to escape anyway. Toph simply stomped on the ground, raising the floor behind him and trapping him in the room. "Aww, man."

"Rui, give it back."

"Why, because your _girlfriend_ gave it to you?"

"Rui." Li looked angry now. Katara tried to diffuse the situation.

"Rui, why don't you just return whatever you stole, and then I can heal your wounds, okay?"

Rui frowned. "I didn't steal it! I was just borrowing it. I wanted to look at it a little more."

A vein popped in Li's forehead. "Rui, so help me, if you don't give it back-"

Rui sulked, but reached his hand into a pocket in his coat and fished out a small metal object. Katara thought it was a ring. But instead of giving it to Li, he threw it at the wall. Ever the sulky child, Rui…

The ring rolled over to where Katara was sitting. She sighed and bent down, picking it up. It was quite pretty. Maybe too pretty for a man's ring. Perhaps Rui wasn't completely wrong about a girl giving it to Li. She squinted her eyes to get a better look. The ring had a strange, curved shape on the face of it. Katara hadn't seen a design like that before, ever. It was quite pretty, and Katara was about to say so when Li snatched the ring from her hand.

She looked up, surprised. His eyes were angry, but his voice was calm. "Thank you, Sifu Katara. I'll be on my way." He walked over to the doorway, staring at it until Toph remembered to lower the earth there.

Rui stomped out after him. "Oh, come ON, Li. It's just a stupid ring! I was going to give it back to you…"

"You are so childish, you know that?" Their angry voices faded as they walked down the corridor.

Ty Lee laughed. "Well that was an interesting interlude. Back to business?" She lifted a leather case she had been carrying with her and dropped it on Katara's desk. "I thought we might look through this, for starters."

Katara was puzzled. "Maybe fill us in on what exactly you mean?"

Ty Lee grinned. "Well, Zuko told me awhile a go he had a list of all the waterbenders logged by the earth kingdom during the first census somewhere in his room. I thought we might try to look the list over and see if any of the names pop out as seeming suspicious."

Toph walked over to the desk and felt the container. "Why the case, then? Is the census list that big?"

"Oh, no. Zuko wasn't there when I went to ask him for it, so I kinda…took it. So we can find it ourselves!"

"Ty Lee! You stole a bag from Zuko's room?"

"Well, it was the only bag with paper in it. All the other cases had, like, underwear and stuff, so if he has the list, it has to be in this one-"

"You went through his _underwear_?" Katara fumed.

"Well, only superficially. I was like, woah, that's not a list. And then I closed the case. No biggie."

Katara just groaned, tried desperately to clear a half-naked image of Zuko from her head, and opened the leather container. Since they were already thieves, they might as well make use of it. She could always pacify Zuko if he came to yell at them. In some…interesting way…

"Let's split this up, alright?" Katara almost handed Toph a stack before laughing sheepishly. "Sorry, Toph."

"What?"

"Nothing." Katara picked up a wrinkled letter from the top of a pile. As she started reading it, confusion flooded her expression.

"Iroh has a cold?"

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Contrary to what he had told his nephew, Iroh did not have a cold. But he sneezed nonetheless. Hm. Probably something in the air.

Iroh sat on the deck of a very nice bakery – that of course also served very nice tea – alternately taking in the flow of faces along the street and the eyes of the shop owner as she served him his pastry. Iroh flashed his best close-eyed grin at her. She sniffed, nodded, and left him to his food. Ah…hard to get was such a fun game. Not quite as strategic as Pai Sho, but the payoff was sweeter.

Iroh shook his head and returned to the problem at hand. Now that Hakoda was recovering, Iroh was left to mull over the non-relationship between his nephew and the woman Iroh was convinced his nephew was head-over-heels for. What was the obstacle? Iroh could see none. His nephew was here, his niece-to-be was in need of some comfort, and _still_ nothing was happening! He had to have a talk with Zuko one of these days. On actually speaking your mind.

Oh, but he had almost forgotten - Zuko _had_ spoken his mind, in a way. Iroh chuckled aloud and held the wrinkled letter in front of him as he sat enjoying his jasmine tea. Well said, Zuko. Iroh couldn't have written a better love letter. It was so cute! So straightforward, yet still colored with his nephew's undying jealousy for the Avatar. Haha. Katara would have to know Zuko had written it from the very first sentence.

But how to get it into Katara's hands? Ah, there was the rub.

Iroh would have to plan this one very carefully, indeed.

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Of course Zuko loved his sister. Sokka had known it all along. Interrupting their little _tête__-__à-tête_was kinda fun, though. The look on Zuko's face! Haha! Priceless.

It was weird, really, that Zuko seemed so afraid that Sokka would hate the idea of his dating Katara. Pfft. Zuko was like a brother to him already. Nothing wrong with sealing the deal.

Well, that didn't mean Sokka wasn't going to stretch every last inch of fun from the situation. It was quite entertaining watching the Fire Lord squirm. Maybe if he accidentally barged in on them making out…

Had they even made out yet? Bah. Katara didn't tell him anything. Maybe Suki would be able to coerce some information from her. Hehehehe…

"How's it hanging, dad?" Sokka slapped the back of the chair Hakoda was sitting in. Hakoda's worn face creased with a smile at the sight of his son. "Those wounds giving you any trouble?"

"Eh. I've had worse. Katara healed most of the damage. The rest I can deal with myself."

"Poison almost gone?"

"Almost."

"Good good." Sokka tossed Hakoda a peach he had foisted off the maid. "Here, you should eat more."

"I'm eating plenty. Everyone who visits me brings me something and tells me I should be eating. Ha. The Avatar himself brought me a fish his lemur had caught!" Hakoda chuckled a little, wincing at the soreness in his muscles. "Have you seen your sister?"

Sokka raised an eyebrow. "She's probably hanging all over the Fire Lord right about now."

"Oh? Am I going to need to give this man a talking to?"

"Nah, Zuko's alright. I think he's actually perfect for her."

"That's surprising. I didn't think you'd approve of anyone for your sister."

Sokka smiled around the peach he was eating. "Yeah, only the leader of the free world is good enough for her. Barely." He took another bite. "Plus he can make fire. That's just plain awesome."

Hakoda laughed. And winced. Sokka leaned on the railing and looked out onto the street. "Hey, who's that kid skulking over there?"

Hakoda tried to look. "I don't see anything."

Sokka held a hand up to shade his eyes. "Huh. He's just standing across the street looking at the hospital. You know, I think I've seen him before. Isn't he a student of Katara's? One of those waterbenders Zuko got for her?"

"Oh? Must be." Hakoda yawned. "Well, son, as much as I enjoy your company…"

"I can take a hint. Not quite the blockhead I used to be. Have a good nap, dad. Get better."

"Will do."

Sokka took this opportunity to hop down into the street and head toward the boy. Li, was it? He tried it out. "Hey! Li!" The boy turned and disappeared into an alley. Now where did he have to be in such a hurry?

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"That Li kid's up to something."

Katara did not have time for this. "Sokka, I have a class in like three minutes. Can't this wait?"

"Sure it can wait. If you want to ignore a possible lead and lose the chance to find dad's attacker!" Sokka rolled his eyes. Katara wanted to mimic the act, but crossed her arms instead.

"Ugh." She decided to humor him. "Why do you think Li's up to something?"

"By the way, Zuko seemed to be holding you pretty tightly the other day-"

"Focus, Sokka."

"I'm just saying, he looked like he enjoyed it-"

"Sokka!"

"I dunno. He just was watching the hospital. Shadily." Sokka held up his hands and wiggled his fingers to emphasize his last word.

Katara held up her hands and did the same. "Shadily?" She scoffed. "He wasn't just walking along the street and pausing to rest and you just _thought_ that he was watching the hospital?"

"Look, just watch him closely in class, okay? You never know."

Katara waved her hand dismissively. "Fine. I'll watch him closely. Although I don't have any idea why you would think someone looking at a hospital is grounds to do so."

Sokka nodded but still didn't leave. "So." He scratched his head. "You like him?"

"Sokka!"

"Oh, so it's love, then!"

"So help me, if you don't leave-"

"I'm going, I'm going." Sokka held up his hands, placating her. "I just…approve."

"You do?" The words were out before she could stop them.

Sokka smiled at her, almost genuinely. "Yeah. Go get him." He ran out the door, expecting repercussions.

When he glanced back, she was blushing.

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**Sokka, you're such an annoying, yet lovable brother. **

**And what's going on with Li? One wonders…**


	18. Chapter 18

**Hey, everyone! Sorry for the lateness of this chapter. I had two weddings this weekend (!) and couldn't post until now. Hopefully the fluff in this chapter will make up for it! **

**Neepuh – I'd love some fanart! :D**

**EatFoodZap – thanks for the criticism; I'll try to pay more attention to that.**

**October103 – I try to update about every other day, but as this chapter proves, I can't always do that. But that's usually my goal! **

**Thanks for the reviews, everyone! **

**Chapter 18**

"Mai, go home."

"How many times have you said that?" Mai asked, allowing more of her old bluntness into her tone. She was tired. Her back ached because of her vigilance. She had been jumping at every noise for the past four days. All because of this…she wasn't sure what to call him. King. Imbecile. Hero. Idiot. Love-

"Oh, I'd say about ten billion."

"U-huh. And what have I said every time?"

"Some variant of…oh, which one was my favorite? Oh, yes. 'Shut your face, you ridiculously handsome yet subtly beguiling royal figure.'"

"I didn't say that."

"But you meant to." He smiled at her then, wincing a bit at the fresh bruises on his cheeks, courtesy of Dai Li questioning. They really were more civilized than they had been in the previous regime. Ten years ago, Dai Li interrogation would have left Georg all but unconscious.

Didn't mean Mai wasn't still outraged at the fact that they had laid a finger on him. She sighed in frustration and sat back in the chair she had connived from the guard. It was placed right outside the metal bars that kept Georg an innocent in chains. "Tell me a story." She wouldn't admit it, but she actually enjoyed hearing Georg wax on about his country, his family, his friends…almost as much as kissing him soundly, which she hadn't been able to do for days now. Stupid bars. Not quite wide enough…

"Alright, how about one about my sister?"

"You have a sister?"

"Haven't mentioned that? Yes. Used to, anyway. She kind of ran off a while ago. Our country is not for everyone, you see. Heh. Wonder where she is…haven't seen her in…oh…ten years?"

"Ten _years_?" Mai was astounded. She hated her family and she'd seen them more recently than that.

"Yes, well, that can happen. I've always wondered where she ran to. Maybe she's somewhere in the water tribe. Hope they're nice to her. She always had a bit of a mouth on her."

Mai smiled wryly. "Sounds like she and I would get along."

Georg grinned and leaned his head against the bars, his dark eyes catching the light of the lantern and fairly glowing. Mai was suddenly locked under a spell she knew far too well.

"Why are those bars so _narrow_?" Mai stood up and knelt before him, grasping a bar in each hand.

Georg paused, raised an eyebrow, and barked out a laugh. "You want to kiss me that badly?"

Mai blushed, but answered quickly. "Yes."

Georg made a pleased sound in his throat. "Apparently there are good sides to being imprisoned. Your girlfriend will automatically answer any question you pose." He smiled at her while she shifted, closed his fingers around hers, and locked her with his gaze. "Well, then, I'd better ask this question before I lose another second."

Mai felt herself holding her breath. Ask me. Ask me now.

Georg stroked her cheek with his finger. "Mai. I love you. I'm pretty sure you love me, too. And I need you." She just looked at him. She couldn't say anything, because she was sure she would fall apart if she tried. "So. Here we go." He finally looked nervous, but he grinned in spite of it. "Marry me."

Mai's face glowed with the smile she was sure would make anyone who knew her question whether she was an imposter. But she pushed her happiness down momentarily. Georg shouldn't get his way _that_ easily.

"That wasn't a question, Georg."

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Li hadn't been in class. Normally, that wouldn't have been an issue with Katara. She wasn't as hard-nosed about attendance as Mai or Toph. But Sokka had told her to keep an eye on him. And now she couldn't stop thinking about the possibility that-

No. Of course Li had nothing to do with it. The only points against him were that he was a waterbender – plenty of those around – and that he was acting 'shadily,' according to Sokka. Sokka had been wrong plenty of times before. But still…

That 'but still' was the reason Katara was now tailing Li across the streets of Ba Sing Se. She hadn't bothered to change into a disguise. It had all happened so quickly. She had left her office for the day and had noticed Li walking at a rapid pace past the school, looking what Katara could only describe as…well, shady. So she had pulled her hair back into a hasty bun, hoping the different style would save her from easy identification, and followed him.

Katara kept her distance, always waiting for him to turn a corner before she approached the point she had seen him last. This was made especially difficult by the fact that Li seemed to be quite adept at maneuvering these crowded streets. She liked to think she had taught him some of that, but based on her inability to keep up without breathing heavily, she had to acknowledge that much of it was due to his innate athleticism. He was quite a proficient student; not a prodigy, certainly, but still, quite impressive. His bending technique was a little stilted; almost like he wasn't used to the style. Not like Zuko. His bending was as beautiful as the sun…

And now she was distracted. Where had Li gone? Ugh. Good one, Katara. The streets were packed, she was in an area she had no familiarity with, and the sun was going down. And her one reason for being here had disappeared off the face of the earth.

Well, maybe she could try again some other time…

Katara spun on her heels and was about to set off toward the school when her progress was impeded by a wall of flesh and strong hands which gripped her shoulders, stopping her in her tracks. Her annoyed comment was halted in her throat when she realized who it was.

"Zuko?" It was then that she realized that he wasn't alone. Behind him and to his left was a huddled man sporting a cloak so old it was almost dissolving, its ratty hood pulled low over his face. Suspicious. Two thugs flanked the hooded man, eyeing Zuko and her interchangeably with a fair amount of confusion.

Zuko gave her a look he seemed to think she would be able to decipher and turned around, laughing, but still keeping one hand locked on her upper arm. "What are the odds of meeting you here, Kat?"

So he didn't want them to know who she was. Why? Well, probably a good idea to play along…

"Oh, I was just passing by." Zuko laughed uproariously at that.

"Passing by? Oh, that's rich. I know you live one street over. I saw you not five minutes ago! Passing by." He chuckled a little, then pointed at her emphatically. "Oh, I get it! You miss me already, don't you?" He moved back to stand by her side and draped an arm over her shoulders. She tried to ignore the warmth that spread through her chest at his touch.

"Ahem. Of course I don't miss you. I wasn't even thinking about you."

"Zuko, Zuko. Why not introduce us to your lovely friend here – Kat, did you say?" The hooded man bowed slightly and leered at her creepily. The thugs wore grins that Katara did not want to interpret. She might strangle them both with their own blood if she tried.

"Ah, yes. Forgot you were there! This one tends to do that to me, you know how it is. Kat, meet-"

"Hari," the man interjected. Probably not his real name. Interesting. "Very stunning for a worker in this district. Wish I'd seen _you_ last night instead of the woman I-"

"Let's not kiss and tell, sir." Katara said, a bit of venom coloring her tone. She smiled, trying to cover it up. So, she was to play the role of a woman of the night, huh? _Thanks_, Zuko. Thanks SO much. Blessedly, though the man chuckled, he didn't press his point. It probably helped that Zuko was quite protectively holding her close to him with his arm.

"You seem to like this one, Zuko. Are you always so particular with your women?"

"Oh, Kat has a special place in my heart. I've been visiting her quite frequently for the past year or so. I just never get tired of her." Zuko smiled down at her and she fought the urge to punch him. She settled for subtly pinching a bit of fat at his side, relishing the grunt of pain that elicited from him. Hah. Served him right.

'Hari' eyed them for a bit. Zuko decided to make a show of ruffling her hair – causing her bun to almost fall out completely – and bent his mouth toward her cheek, probably to whisper something important to her (like what in the WORLD he was DOING here with these seedy characters), when Hari spoke.

"It's getting late. Why don't you two lovebirds join me and my comrades for a late dinner? You must be famished, my dear. I'm sure the fare your type usually get is nothing compared to what I can give you."

_Why don't _I_ give you a kick to the teeth, you jerky, double-chinned-_

"Why, that sounds like a great idea! What do you think, Kat?" Zuko turned his face toward her. It was mostly hidden from the thugs, and he again seemed to be trying to convince her to trust him. Fine. Fine, but she wouldn't like it.

"Yes, let's!" She pasted on a fake smile and clung to Zuko's arm (which was far too toned for his own good) as he led her into a building that looked like it had seen better days. It was a warehouse, essentially, with multiple rooms here and there, barely furnished. Hari showed them into a smallish room with a long table and two felt-covered benches. Zuko motioned for her to sit, then sat beside her. Hari was about to sit as well when one of the thugs came into the room and spoke into his ear.

Hari nodded and stood. "You will excuse me. One of my…partners has decided that now is the time to negotiate a deal he reneged on. Silly business. Won't be a minute." As he stood to go, Katara noticed a ring on his hand. A ring with a very familiar symbol.

When he had gone, the door shut behind him, Katara stood, partially outraged at the part Zuko had forced her to play, partially in the midst of an epiphany. Where had she seen that symbol before?

Zuko started to talk apologetically. "Katara, I'm-"

She turned and punched him in his arm. Hard. "You could have come up with a better story!"

But he grabbed her hands and pulled her down and leaned in so closely she almost fell backward. "Those guards are right outside the door. Maybe talk a little more softly?"

Unbalanced by his closeness, Katara quickly threw her head to the side and glowered at the wall until he sighed and let go. She looked back at him then. "Well. I don't forgive you yet." She stood again and paced away a step, then turned to face him. "But did you see that ring that man had? That vile, odious man?"

"The vile, odious man who orchestrated your father's attack? Yes, I saw the ring."

"What?" Katara asked, her anger slightly deflated.

Zuko smiled slightly and grabbed her hand, pulling her down to sit next to him on the bench again. In her puzzlement she didn't resist. "You didn't think-"

Why did his eyes have to be so compellingly sexy? And his hands on hers were warm…and smooth…and she had to say something before she did something extremely out of character with Katara and more in character with Kat. "Of course you had a good reason for being here." She hoped desperately he didn't notice the heat suffusing her face. "But what did you say?"

"This 'Hari' – pretty sure that's not his name-"

"Got that." He was still holding her hands, and she was convinced he could feel her heartbeat pattering along like a racehorse.

"Well," Zuko continued, giving her a look that was a mixture of exasperation and humor, "he's actually from Hertzer. From some royal line. And he's trying to get me to rig Georg's trial so he's convicted. Gotten out of the way. What about the ring?" He leaned closer, an interested look on his face.

Katara leaned back to get her bearings, eliciting a frown from Zuko. She tried to focus on the topic at hand to cover her confusion at his reaction. "He's from Hertzer? And he framed Georg?"

"Yeah, I think he actually meant to kill Hakoda so Georg might have been executed, but apparently the assassin he hired botched the job."

"I'll kill him." Katara again tried to stand, but Zuko put his arms on her shoulders and held her in place, turning her to face him fully. She just couldn't get away from him. Even her anger wasn't enough of an excuse. She sighed and glared into his eyes. "So I'm not going to kill him. I'm just going to bend his blood until he _wishes_ he were dead."

Zuko chuckled, his eyes lit up with humor. "Why don't we wait until we find the assassin."

Katara huffed, but had to smile at his laughter. "That's what you're trying to do, huh. Find out who is working for him."

Zuko just smiled at her in assent, and then a long pause presented itself to the room, leaving Katara breathless because part of her wanted to fill it with action and the other part with flight and he was just so _close_ to her! The silence was broken suddenly when Zuko reached up and brushed her cheek with his finger. She gasped audibly. His eyes widened in shock. "Sorry. Eyelash. I didn't mean-"

Katara found her voice. Of course. Eyelash. "Oh-Oh yes. Th-That ring! I knew I'd seen it before. On Li!"

Zuko frowned. "Who's Li?" Was he jealous?

"One of my bending students." Katara wanted Zuko to touch her cheek again, but continued talking to cover up her motive. "He, ah…he's the reason I'm here. I followed him-"

Then Zuko's hand went over her mouth. "Shh. I thought I heard something." They both listened. Katara could feel her heart pounding underneath his fingers. Someone outside started fiddling with the handle. "I have an idea. I'm gonna get us out of here." He looked at her then, hesitating. "Um." He looked at her lips, then up at her eyes. "Sorry."

His hands pushed at her shoulders, and just like that she was on her back on the barely-cushioned bench, and would have fallen off completely had not Zuko placed his elbows on either side of her head, pinning her in place. She barely had time to yelp in surprise before his lips were on her forehead, kissing her sweetly, almost apologetically at first, then more roughly as the handle on the door continued its rattling. She tried to say something but Zuko started planting firey, fervent kisses from her forehead down her nose. And then – her toes curled at this – he licked the tip, almost drawing another squeak from her.

He kissed her nose once more, lingering there before maneuvering to her left cheek, then her right, closing his eyes softly with each kiss, but fixing her gaze whenever he pulled back. Somewhere in the fog of confusion and bliss Katara formed the thought that Zuko was far too good at this, but it disappeared because his breath was on her mouth and she clamped her lips and her eyes shut as tightly as possible, gripping the front of his shirt, worrying that she might make quite a different sound if he kept going…

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**Oh, the fluff. The Zutara fluff. There will be more…**


	19. Chapter 19

**Time for some more 'fake-out make-out,' as AnnaAza so eloquently put it. :)**

**Thanks for the reviews, as always! This story is winding down…I'm thinking I have enough planned for 23 chapters-ish. We'll see how well I plan these things.**

**Chapter 19**

This was bliss. Pure bliss.

Zuko didn't really know why he had started kissing her. Once he had heard movement in the hall, he had suddenly thought he needed to get them out of there. And then an inkling of an idea floated through his mind, an idea that involved escape by means of a make-out session. Although the rational part of him knew there were plenty of other methods for getting Katara out of danger, the emotional part of him latched onto the thought of kissing her soundly, and then her lips were under his hand, and her deep, blue eyes were gazing into his, and he just acted. Stupid, really.

But now his lips were against her soft, warm skin and she was breathing quickly and one of his hands was tangled in her hair and he almost threw rationality to the wind. He was now enacting the very things he had wanted to do to Katara for years. He imagined so many times painting masterpieces on her skin with his mouth, whispering into her ear, smoothing her hair from her face and just staring down at her…

But he couldn't just let go of his rationality. From Katara's perspective, this was all an act. That's probably what she was thinking even now. It was partially true; this was a method of escape. But mostly Zuko had just wanted to push her down and kiss her everywhere. Ugh. Why were things so complicated? And that guard was taking his sweet time unlocking the stupid door…

Zuko sighed, half in frustration and half in contentment, and kissed along Katara's jaw to her chin, savoring the taste like a connoisseur. After a long moment there, his hand on her cheek, his thumb rubbing her jaw, he lifted his head and finally hovered over her mouth. He hesitated and looked up at her eyes. They were shut tight and she was squeezing her lips together. Was she afraid of him? But her hands were gripping his shirt near the neck and fairly choking him as she pulled him closer...

He held off on taking her lips. Those he wasn't willing to steal. Instead, he started kissing his way past her ear, down her neck and into the hollow, where he paused to plant a luxurious, open-mouthed kiss, and then he moved lower, kissed lower still…

_Open the door and stop me, already! Or I won't want to stop!_ Zuko growled aloud at his own thoughts and she sighed slightly in response, reaching her hands to the back of his head, entangling her fingers in his hair, pulling him against the skin that lay just above the collar of her dress, taking in a shuddering breath. He could feel her heart racing, and had almost decided to forget everything but this moment and the delicate smell of the soap she used and the feel of her fingers massaging his scalp and the twisting feeling building up in his gut when the door opened.

"Oh, my apologies. No idea you were quite this attached to the woman, Zuko." Hari's idiot guards started laughing behind him as he hovered in the doorway. Katara took the opportunity to yell in surprise and shove at Zuko's chest, putting him off balance. He crashed to the floor and looked up. Katara was now standing to one side, her back to him, her arms at her chest, perfectly silent. Was she actually mad, or was this part of the act?

Zuko laughed and stood, brushing himself off. "I had almost forgotten how easily she beguiles me. I think, as such, it would be best if we postponed our meeting until another time?"

Hari's eyes darkened slightly. He was unusually perceptive. Zuko didn't give him time to consider. He grabbed Katara's hand and walked directly toward the door Hari and his men occupied. "This isn't something that can wait, as I'm sure you know."

The guards laughed again. One of them said something about how Zuko was a lucky dog for getting his goods for free. Katara's hand tightened around his. He was sure she was about to physically attack someone.

Blessedly, Hari decided either to believe Zuko or back off for the time being. The man had never trusted him. Probably for the best, since Zuko had never trusted Hari. "Well, Zuko, I'm sure you can come another time. Especially since you haven't even met my associate yet."

Zuko quirked an eyebrow. Katara tensed beside him. "You do…business with someone?"

"Why, yes, in fact. Unfortunately, I'm too old to manage certain of my affairs by myself anymore. I'm always on the lookout for young blood. And this employee of mine is quite the useful creature. He's made a few mistakes; actually that's what I'd been chatting with him about just now. But who hasn't, really?" He laughed sardonically. "Thought you should have a talk sometime, you and he."

"Think that will convince me to help you, Hari?"

"Never hurts to try." Hari sneered. It was always difficult to decipher the man's motives.

"Well, I'll think on it. In the meantime, you understand." Zuko slipped his arm around Katara's waist and guided her past the guards. Blessedly, they moved out of the way without so much as a 'wait a minute, who is she really.'

Sometimes things did go Zuko's way.

Five minutes later, he ate his thoughts.

"I can't believe you! What in the world _possessed _you to do that? We could have tried any _number_ of methods to get out of there! And it wasn't like we were in any kind of danger-"

"Katara, this man is the man who arranged for your father's _death_. I assume every time I'm in there that my life is somehow threatened."

"Oh, so you've been placing yourself in harm's way without _telling_ anyone? What kind of ridiculous, idiotic-"

"Katara-" Wait, w_hat _was she mad about, again?

"And NO I have NOT forgiven you for telling those brutes I was a _prostitute_, by the way!"

Wow. Zuko was at a loss. The minute he had guided Katara a reasonable distance from the warehouse, she had slapped his hand away and started stalking off toward the center of the city. He had caught up to her underneath a ginkgo tree near one of the city bridges, in a relatively unpopulated area. The minute he opened his mouth to apologize, she had started yelling. Loudly. She still wasn't finished.

"And I'll have you know that just because you are the ruler of the Fire Nation does _not_ mean you get to order me around! And just because you're hot- I mean, steamy – I mean, just because you bend _fire_ does not mean you can control what I do!"

"Katara!" Zuko had been trying to get her attention for so long that when she gave it, he was so startled he lost his train of thought. Her eyes were quite lovely when she was angry.

She seemed to have forgotten her next words, too, because she just looked up at him, her anger melted slightly. "What?" She was breathing heavily from the effort of yelling so much. Zuko noticed that a wisp of hair was caught in the corner of her mouth, and without thinking reached up to smooth it to the side. That single touch brought back, vividly and in full color, every single kiss he had laid upon her trembling body only minutes earlier.

He felt his mouth drop open and was about to form the apology he had meant to give earlier when she blushed as red as the sun and stepped back. "That wasn't…I've never even…you've never said…" but she seemed to struggled with her thoughts, and then Zuko noticed what he thought were tears in her eyes. Tears? Why tears? He was struggling between asking her what she meant and just grabbing her and holding her and telling her how sorry he was when lo and behold, Sokka showed up.

"Hey, Katara! You follow Li like I told you?"

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Even as Sokka asked her the question, in her mind Katara was still completing the broken utterances she had allowed her mouth to form. _That wasn't real. I've never even kissed anyone but Aang. You've never said you're even interested in me. _

_That wasn't fair._

But even as she thought these things, she couldn't stop imagining what would have happened had the guards not opened the door. She would have clung to him, and kissed him back, and told him how desperately, how completely she…

Loved him.

But he had just played her for a fool. How could she even know what he felt? If he felt anything. The physicality of that moment could only be attributed to the situation. Never to Zuko. Could it?

"Katara? You listening?"

Katara shook herself from her reverie and tried to stop the tears she knew were about to spill from her eyes. "Of course I'm listening. But I'm…really tired at the moment, Sokka. I'm just gonna head back to my room and get some sleep." Feeling Zuko's eyes burning into her back, she slipped past her brother and practically ran across the bridge toward the school.

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Sokka shook his head. He really didn't understand his sister sometimes. It was a normal question, given the circumstances. She didn't have to just run off like that.

Unless Zuko was the reason she ran off? Sokka tested his theory.

"Dude, if you love my sister, you shouldn't make her cry." He had altered this greatly from what he had initially wanted to say, which involved Zuko feeling Sokka's boomerang wrath for hurting his sister's feelings. But Sokka was a bigger man than he once was. Probably due to Suki's influence.

"I didn't make her cry!" Zuko looked frustrated and confused at the same time. Dude. Too many emotions at once can give you heartburn. "I didn't…maybe I did. I was about to apologize to her about it." Zuko spun to face Sokka. "But then YOU walked in and interrupted me!"

"Ha. Love is never that simple. And even if I approve of this whole thing, I'm still not averse to making it difficult for you. She's my sister, for crying out loud. Anyone who wants her is going to have to go through some Sokka-style triiiiaaaallllls." That last word Sokka stretched out, waving his hands crazily to accompany it in a weird little dance.

Zuko just stared at him, nonplussed. "Wait. So annoying me and interrupting me is the way to prove I love your sister?" Zuko started. "You _know_ I love your sister?" He paused, then jumped again. "Wait, you _approve_?"

"Way ahead of you, buddy. I've been rooting for you two for a long time."

"Which in Sokka time is…"

"About a week." Sokka started laughing at that, and Zuko, once his mouth had finally closed, barked out a laugh, too.

When the laughter had abated, Zuko ran a hand down his face and groaned. "So any advice for your future brother-in-law?"

"Yeah. First, don't get cocky." Zuko chuckled and shook his head. Sokka continued. "Third,"

"Second."

"_Se_cond, apologize for whatever she's mad about."

Zuko nodded. "Well, yeah, that's kind of obvious."

"Don't talk back. Third, tell her you love her."

Zuko cringed. "I guess that's kind of an important one, huh."

"Yeah, go figure." They both stood and pondered that statement for a bit before Sokka continued. "Oh, and third, kiss her soundly. Farrr away from me."

"That I may have already done…"

"WHAT."

Zuko held up his hands comically and pitched his voice higher. "Don't hurt me."

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**Hahaha! I love the Sokka-Zuko conversations. So fun to write. **


	20. Chapter 20

**Whew. This chapter took some doing. It answers a lot of questions, proves a lot of theories, etc. Plus a Zutara moment! Gotta love those. **

**Anonymous I Think - welcome back! :D**

**FlareonRocks - oh, you are not alone in your Zutaran ways. Just do a google image search and you'll see the magnitude of this ship. It's kind of scary.**

**Thanks for the reviews everyone! On we go...**

**Chapter 20**

It was about time again. Time for another meeting. The early morning sun was just now creeping into the room, and the other students were all still blissfully asleep. The meetings hadn't been going well lately – the old man's promises were turning sourer with each word he spoke. But there was no other way. Li felt the web he daily tangled himself in slow his footsteps as he eased out of the stark room he shared with Rui. That slowness was his undoing this morning.

"Li? Where are you going so early?" The kid had heard him. Li was surprised he hadn't before – Li had left many times in this fashion, clandestinely, hoping his training would prepare him enough to get away from a child. But Rui was talented. Almost as talented as Li had been when he was Rui's age.

Rui was sitting up in his pallet, rubbing his eyes and looking confused, but not at all suspicious, as perhaps he ought to have been. He was too naïve, Rui. Too trusting. He looked up to Li like a brother.

Perhaps he didn't have to go to the meeting. Li's conscience bit at him, a sort of last ditch strike to pull its owner from a path he was far too entrenched in to leave. A tangled, tangled web, indeed. But the girl's face, bleeding, torn, and her sobs, wrenching, piercing, flooded his vision, and he again ignored the noose that was slowly tightening around his neck. He had to do this. But first he had to get away from Rui.

"Ah, none of your business, kid. Go back to sleep."

"Whatever. Wherever you're going, I'm coming with you." Rui slid his feet out over the floor and leaned down to grab his over-shirt. "Hold on, I just have to find my shoes."

"I don't want you to come." And there was the puppy-dog face. Sigh. "Kid, really. I'm not training, and I'm not having some adventure you're missing out on, okay? Just go back to sleep."

"Well, where are you going?"

Li sighed. He really wished he had a better plan than this…but at least it wasn't technically a lie.

"Fine, I'll tell you. But you'd better go back to sleep." Li made sure Rui had nodded before he continued. "I'm…going to see the person who gave me this ring."

Even as he said the word, he heard the dark, gloating voice in his head for the hundredth time: _If I could get this, you know I could get to her, you know I could…_

Rui's eyes lit up. "Ooooh! You mean the _girl_ who gave you that ring! Li has a girlfriend! Li has a girlfriend! Li-"

"Yes, yes, you've found me out. Now go to sleep before you wake all the other students, okay, kid?"

Rui smirked and pointed for a little while longer, but finally climbed back under his blankets. He said one final thing before Li left.

"Make sure to use tongue when you kiss her!"

Li rolled his eyes and wished he was telling Rui the truth. But in a few minutes, instead of kissing a ring-bearer, he would be kissing up to her fat old man.

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"Alright, Yuki, that's enough for today."

The solemn girl grunted with the effort of spinning three large boulders in an elaborate spiral, finally dropping each one lightly to the ground. "Thank you, Toph."

No honorific again. Very well. Toph could be a patient person. For now.

Yuki walked over and stood close to Toph, speaking in low tones. "Have you heard anything from Katara? Any news?"

Alright, that was it. Toph wasn't Yuki's confidante. And she didn't _owe_ her any information. If anything, Yuki was too tight-lipped about certain things – like why in the world she was so dedicated to finding Hakoda's assassin. Toph let the student have a sizable helping of her frustration. "Yuki, I've _never_ been inclined to let you into this process. _Yes_, I was younger than you are when I fought against the Fire Nation. But that was a time of war. This is a time of peace."

"Maybe in this country. But other countries are not so lucky. At least, they are under threat of war…that is…I mean…" Yuki slowed down nervously, as if she had said too much.

Toph glared in her general direction. Her vibrations, while more steady than Toph's other students (she could tell lies from them from a mile away) were suggesting that Yuki was off balance. Time to get some truth.

"Yuki, what is this all about? If we don't know why in the world you want to help-"

"I'm from Hertzer, okay?"

Toph blinked. That was easy. Yuki continued.

"I'm from Hertzer. And that's why I dyed my hair black, as I'm sure you were wondering."

"Actually, no." Toph pointed to her eyes, reminding her student that she had no idea what her hair color was.

"Oh. Sorry. Ah, well, it's actually blonde. It was blonde for my first week living in Ba Sing Se. And then I realized all these…men…were staring at me. So I just…dyed it. I guess they assumed I had originally bleached it to annoy my mom or something."

"Yes, to annoy your mom..." Or to participate in a certain red light service…

Toph waited, knowing Yuki had more to say. But then someone knocked on the door of the training room and entered. Toph held up a hand. "Sugarqueen, shut the door behind you. The floodgates have opened."

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When Katara entered the room, Yuki eyed her nervously, but looked to Toph as if for reassurance. Toph gestured in an encouraging manner. Well…encouraging coming from Toph. From anyone else, it was a blunt, impatient wave of the hand.

"What's going on?" Katara asked. She had come to talk to Toph about the ring symbols and her confusion regarding their connection, but suppressed her excitement. This seemed like an interesting conversation.

A rock that had been balancing on a pile in the corner tumbled down a little, causing Yuki to jump slightly. She cleared her throat. "I, uh, I'm not sure this is the best time for this."

"Stop acting nervous. No one's within 100 feet of us. This is the perfect opportunity to state your case, blondie. Ooh, I like that." Toph grinned, probably pleased at coming up with another of her signature nicknames.

"Blondie?" Katara asked, wondering at the meaning. Oh, wait…Yuki had been blonde the first time Katara had seen her. She had forgotten about that.

"She's blonde, she's from Hertzer, and she's about to tell us more." Toph stated blandly, wanting to get to the good stuff.

Yuki was from Hertzer? Wasn't Hari from Hertzer? That symbol…

Yuki stood up straight, seeming regally insulted that Toph was interrogating her like this. But she continued. "Fine. I'm not only from Hertzer…I'm have…royal blood, I guess you could say. Through my mother."

"Saw that coming." Toph crossed her arms. "Explains the general lack of respect, don't you think, Katara?"

Katara was about to respond when Yuki defended herself, angry red coloring her cheeks. "I'm sorry about that, okay? But it's kind of hard to change the way you were raised. All my life I've been ordering people around. It's hard to curb the habit."

And now any pretense of reticence was gone, and the reserved Yuki started rattling off facts without bothering to catch a breath. "So here it is. My mom's royal, and my father, he's, well, a domineering maniac. I don't really know him very well. My mom divorced him a long time ago and never let me see him when I was growing up. But about a year ago, he started trying to contact me. He even broke into our house once. Left a threatening note. So my mom, she thought, well screw this, I'm not going to put up with this anymore."

Yuki took a breath and crossed her arms, her eyes getting more annoyed with each word. "So she brought me here. To get away. And we were fine for a bit, but then for some reason he showed up in Ba Sing Se and he just happened to see mom at work, and now he's saying he wants her back. And it's not because he loves her or anything. He just wants the throne of Hertzer. But he can't have it, because he's originally from the Earth Kingdom. He's the reason I can earthbend, even though most Hertzians can't bend at all."

"Except for the waterbenders." Toph interjected.

"Yeah, those. But they have sort of been a well-kept secret. Used for guarding high-profile people and such. Trained in darkness, working in the shadows."

"Like assassins?" Katara breathed. Something was niggling at her brain, trying to come to the surface. She almost felt like she had an answer. But then Yuki started talking again and Katara couldn't think about it anymore.

"But mom won't have him. And now I think…I think he may be targeting me, because I _can_ take the throne." She paused and looked straight into Katara's eyes. "But only if Georg is out of the way."

Katara let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. "And if you're queen, your dad can manipulate from the shadows. The Hertzian way." Yuki looked a question at her, and she laughed. "Mai told me all about your messed up governmental system. You really have to hand it to Georg for trying to change it."

"See, that's just it!" Yuki continued. "I think King Georg is doing great things with our country, changing all the stupid politicking and ridiculous plotting. But if my dad gets his way, all that will be gone in an instant. I don't want to be part of my dad's stupid plan. I don't care who tells me to do it. I won't!" Yuki paused then, breathing heavily, and shook her head. "I won't."

"So you want to help us because you want Georg to be king." Toph stated.

Yuki nodded. She seemed overwhelmed by the amount she had spoken in the past few minutes, and was now making up for it in silence.

Katara sighed. How was this girl still sane? What a ridiculous set of circumstances. "Well. I can't say that doesn't make sense. We'll keep you informed if we need anything from you in the future. Now you'd better get to dinner before they stop serving." While Yuki nodded and started to leave, Katara remembered what she had come to speak with Toph about. "Oh! I almost forgot. This might be completely random, but remember that ring Rui stole from Li? With that weird symbol?"

"I remember you telling me about it, yes. Why?"

"It's so strange. I saw a symbol that looked exactly like it-"

"Li has a ring?" It was Yuki. She had turned at the door and looked as if she didn't realize she had asked the question. She blanched. "Uh. I'm sorry to interrupt. I'll just…go get dinner." She skittered away, closing the door behind her.

Katara raised an eyebrow, but Toph spoke before she could wonder at the outburst. "Heh. She's almost as jealous as you were of Mai back when you were fourteen."

Katara blushed. "Jealous? I was never-"

"U-huh. Say no more. Although I'd probably be jealous if the guy I had a crush on wore another girl's ring…"

Jealous, huh? Was that why Yuki had acted so strangely? Or did Yuki know something she wasn't saying? Katara would have to have a talk with her. After she ate some dinner. This was all too confusing to work out on an empty stomach.

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Her belly now full of udon, Katara was about to take another mental crack at the rings and Yuki and Yuki's dad and the waterbending assassin when she walked into the school atrium and saw Zuko's. His back was turned to her, but he looked as if he was waiting for someone. Her heart fell into her stomach. He hadn't noticed her yet. Now to turn around slowly…very slowly…

"Katara!"

She cringed at the sound of his voice. She hadn't the slightest idea how to talk to him. She still felt his kisses on her face; they were seared there so hotly she was almost sure there were scars. She still experienced the pain of confusion (and annoyance) warring with the warmth of desire.

Hopefully she could hide that. She turned around and tried to be nonchalant. It didn't work. "Zuko. What are you doing here?" Her voice sounded tired and exasperated in her ears. She hadn't meant it to. But she _was_ tired. And exasperated.

Zuko's eyes looked pained. He walked closer to her, but halted about five feet away. _Now_ he was giving her her space? "Look, Zuko, I'm not feeling very charitable right now, so maybe you should just-"

"I'm sorry." Zuko said. Katara started.

"What?"

"I said, I'm sorry." He walked closer, then. He took a step forward with each word. "I'm sorry I made you cry. I didn't even think of how you would feel if I just…" he paused and looked down. "attacked you." His face was getting red, and his toes were now a foot and a half from hers.

Katara bit her lip to suppress a laugh. He was just too adorable. She cleared her throat, hoping her humor didn't color her tone as she spoke. "And what about pretending I was a prostitute?"

If it was possible, Zuko's head fell even further. "Yeah…not my best idea ever."

Katara softened. "Zuko, I can defend myself. You didn't really attack me. And while being considered a prostitute is insulting, it was all just a plan, right?" Katara tilted her head, trying to see his eyes, but his face was still downcast. "Just a plan. And it worked, see? We're out. No harm done. I was just particularly…annoyed at the time. Okay, maybe even five minutes ago. But I'm over it now."

Zuko raised his head and stared at her. "Over it."

"Yeah, see? No tears. Everything is fine."

Zuko stepped closer, then, and the toes of his shoes met hers. His breath – had he just had some green tea? – warmed her face, and it took all her willpower to hold his gaze without flinching. Or leaning forward.

"Is it?" He asked, his voice low. What? What did that mean?

"O-Of course!" Katara smiled. Zuko smiled back, and seemed to be leaning even closer to her when the doors opened and a group of students poured in. Katara shoved him away so he stumbled, but kept his footing.

When he looked back at her, he was grinning. "You always seem to do that."

"I have class. So." Katara cleared her throat, smoothed her skirts, and followed the students out the opposite door.

What had just happened?

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**Ah, Zutara moments. I loves them so. :)**


	21. Chapter 21

**Woo, another update. In this chapter: Zuko is a Katara fanboy! Katara figures stuff out! Some Taang awkwardness! And Ty Lee! **

**Onward, my friends. And thank you for the reviews!**

**Chapter 21**

Zuko's grin didn't leave his face until he was out on the street and people were looking at him funnily. Humph. He was in love. He was allowed to smile like an idiot.

In love. Kind of a nice feeling. Well, he had completed step one of Sokka's instructions; he had apologized. Now he had to tell her how he felt about her. He had thought he could do it back in the school atrium, but she had pushed him away, and looked skittish about the whole thing, so he decided to back off for a bit. Didn't want to spook her too much.

But when could he tell her? Maybe he should plan some sort of date situation? Or 'accidentally' knock on her door in the middle of the night and ask for directions to his hotel, and then 'accidentally' push her back into the room and shut the door and…

Zuko's thoughts were broken when a very familiar face entered his field of view. They took on a bemused tinge when he realized that the familiar face wasn't one he was expecting to see in Ba Sing Se. Because she was supposed to be back in the Fire Nation. Helping to run the country.

"Maka?" The stately cabinet member was too far away to hear him. She dropped a bruised peach into a wicker basket she held in her arm, paid the grocer, and moved along the street, seeming like she was on vacation.

Zuko followed her, noting her nonchalance as she wandered, almost aimlessly, taking a bite of a peach now and then, speaking in friendly tones to various passersby. By the time she had thrown the peach pit to the side of the road, her stress-wrinkled face was shaded from the sun by the walls of a low, menacing building with hardly any windows and a single, steel door at the front. Zuko slouched on a bench across the street, pretending to take an afternoon nap. He watched as Maka chatted with the two guards on duty. After a few minutes, they nodded for her to enter.

Now why was one of his cabinet-members so interested in strolling through Dai Li headquarters?

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It hit her. Everything she had been piecing together for the past day and a half coalesced in her mind and came into stark relief. Maybe it was the fact that she had enjoyed a bit of peace and quiet for the first time in a long while. Maybe it was the fact that Zuko wasn't taking up _quite_ as much space in her thoughts since he had apologized.

Katara stood up and almost ran down the hall to Toph's room, opening the door and slamming it behind her in one fluid motion. She kept her voice low, but her eagerness was hard to suppress. "It's Li. Li! This entire time-GAH what are you doing?"

Toph, who had been lightly kissing the neck of the more than century-old Avatar when Katara burst in, pushed against Aang's chest and stood up so quickly Aang had to float backwards on a wave of air in order to keep from toppling over. "Every time! Every time you canoodle me into kissing you with your…canoodling, someone bursts in on us! I'm starting to think you have this whole thing planned just to annoy me!" Toph tried to smooth her hair from its rumpled state, but it was too late. Katara would have the image of Toph making out with the Avatar emblazoned in her memory for years to come.

Aang straightened, rubbing the back of his neck. "Toph, you're exaggerating. And I'll remind you we _have_ kissed at least two times before without anyone bursting in-"

"I'll remind YOU, you bald-headed…arrow man," Toph huffed, "that talking about our private affairs in public is number four on the list of things you don't do when you date me!"

Katara blinked. "You have a list?"

Toph looked over. "Oh, yes. In triplicate. Want to see it? Might be a good template if you and Zuko ever get around to-"

"Hahaha now is not the time, Toph." Katara was not in the mood to discuss her potential love life with Zuko when her ex-boyfriend was in the room.

"Oh, come on, Sugarqueen. You've now seen Aang and I making out; it's only fair that I make you squirm a little bit in return." Toph's grin was almost a good enough disguise for the massive blush that swept her cheeks.

"Toph! So help me! Ugh. Why was I here again?"

Aang, who had been enjoying the repartee between the two women, spoke up from where he was positioned, leaning against his winged quarterstaff. "Uh, you said something about Li? He's one of your students, right?"

Katara pointed a finger at Aang. "Yes. Thank you. To reiterate," she took a deep breath and continued, "it was Li. I was convinced it couldn't have been him, but it was."

Toph held up her hands. "Hold on, there. Li did what?"

"Tried to kill my father!" Upon saying the words, she realized the implications of that statement. She repeated herself in quieter tones: "He…tried to kill my father."

Toph sighed and swatted at Aang's hand as he nonchalantly tried to lay it on her shoulder. "What proof do you have?"

Katara bit her lip. "Well. No proof, really. Only inklings." The excitement returned; she didn't have time to feel sorry for the boy. "But first off, he's a waterbender. You remember how Yuki said waterbenders in Hertzer are trained in secret, or the shadows, or something? That fits with the ice-knife-wielding assassin idea we had earlier."

"Maybe. But only if Li is from Hertzer," Aang pointed out, this time trying to reach clear around Toph to her other shoulder. Katara raised an eyebrow…Toph might have been blind, but she wasn't born yesterday. Toph elbowed him, and Katara suppressed a snort of laughter.

Clearing her throat, Katara nodded. "Well that's the thing. The ring. I forgot to tell you this, but the ring Li has around his neck _is_ from Hertzer."

"How do you even know that?" Toph's left hand, which she had raised to whack Aang on the arm, halted with her question.

"Because of the symbol! I've only seen its like once before, on a ring worn by a really odious, fat man –" Katara stopped again, and her eyes widened in shock. "I think I've met Yuki's father!"

Toph raised an eyebrow. "What? You're not making sense, Sugarqueen."

"Li's ring has the same symbol as Hari's."

"And Hari is the odious, fat guy?" Aang asked.

Katara huffed in annoyance, trying to get all the information rolling around inside her head out onto the table. "Yes. Look, when I was searching for Li last night, I ended up meeting Zuko, who has apparently been meeting with this Hari guy for a while, who _is_ from Hertzer and has a ring that looks very much like Li's. Zuko now knows that Hari is the man behind my father's assassination attempt. And I think he may be Yuki's father! She said he was trying to get Georg out of the way, right?"

"Well, thanks for keeping me informed." Toph crossed her arms.

"I forgot, okay? And last night I was a little…confused. I still am. But anyway, Hari is Yuki's dad, Li is a Hertzian waterbender who has been sneaking around, and _my_ theory is that Li was the one employed by Hari to assassinate Hakoda!"

Toph paused, then nodded. "Seems like a plausible theory. But again: you have no proof."

"I know." Katara's excitement deflated, and she slumped into a chair across from Toph.

Aang gave up on teasing Toph and leaned against the wall again, bemused. "And what could his motive possibly be?"

Katara pursed her lips. "I hadn't even thought of that." She fell into a reverie of thought; something she had been doing far too often, of late. Why? Why would the young, studious youth have tried to murder the father of his own teacher? Could someone work up a vendetta in a matter of months? Surely Katara wasn't _that_ harsh a taskmaster. Unable to reconcile Li's character with the murderous act, but without an alternative explanation, she groaned and looked at her friends. "Any ideas?"

Aang considered. "Well, we could always ask him."

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Ty Lee had just finished one of her favorite lectures – mid-air spins – and was happily making her way to the dining hall. Maybe they were serving noodles today. She loved noodles.

She slowed her pace, in spite of the rumblings in her stomach, when she heard irate shouting in the back courtyard. Strange. No one was usually there during this time of the day. She poked her head out one of the hallway windows to see what was going on, and saw two young men sparring.

One of them, the younger by a few years – she thought his name was Rumi? Or maybe Rui – had a large sphere of water suspended high over his head and was shouting so loud Ty Lee was sure all the students inside the school could hear him.

"Why did I ever look up to you? Why did I ever trust you? You're a traitor! A mindless, backstabbing traitor!" Tears came to the child's cheeks, but he appeared not to notice them and spread his stance wider, digging his toes into the soft earth.

His opponent, a tall, handsome youth, frowned across a space of about fifteen feet. He wasn't preparing any sort of defense. But he stood next to a large pond that he would probably be able to use to his advantage. "I told you not to follow me, Rui. Just forget you saw anything, okay?"

Rui growled and lifted his hands straight up into the air. The sphere above him rippled from end to end, stretching the already warped reflections of the clouds in the sky and the anger in the courtyard until they were unrecognizable. He bent the last two fingers of each hand, grimaced, then pulled his hands apart, gliding them down until he held them parallel to the ground. As he did this, the sphere above his head split in half, becoming two smaller globes that now wobbled about five feet above each tensed hand.

"Defend yourself, Li. At least let your last move before you die be an act of honor." Ty Lee raised an eyebrow. The kid was eloquent, but he was going to lose. She had heard Katara talk about this Li student's prowess. He was unmatched.

Rui ignored Ty Lee's mental note, though, and, balancing the spheres quite elegantly, he turned to the side and windmilled his arms fluently, finally holding his fists at his sides, his arms slightly bent. He pulled his right fist back, back, back further still. Then, in one swift motion, he threw it forward. The rightmost sphere of water stretched a bit, motionless, then jetted forward in a blur before splashing on the ground exactly where Li had been only a second earlier.

But Li was now two feet behind Rui. He had moved so quickly that Rui was even now in the process of sending the other sphere of water towards Li's last location. Li lifted up a small ribbon of water and started bending it around Rui's neck.

At this point, Ty Lee thought it best to intervene.

Li only had the chance to say something that sounded like "Sorry, kid, but I have to-" before Ty Lee dropped in behind him and sent her hands, fingers plied apart to press various pressure points, towards the youth's shoulders. It was a move that should have put Li under for a few minutes at most. But Li had sensed her move, and was now spinning, batting her hands away and leaping backward to put both Rui and Ty Lee in his field of vision.

Ty Lee untensed her hands, puzzled that her prey had disappeared from under her expectant ministrations. But then she grinned.

"You're good! Wanna fight me?"

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"Speak of the devil." Toph heard the vibrations in the far courtyard over Katara's ridiculously loud voice and Aang's fluttering heartbeat. He acted quite calmly, but she knew he was still a bit keyed up from their little…session. Toph was good at kissing, if she did say so herself…

But now was not the time for that. Toph recognized one set of vibrations in particular as belonging to the very student Katara had just accused outright of attempted murder. "Your Li, Katara, is in the middle of something we probably shouldn't miss."

"What? Where is he?"

"Out in the courtyard. Fighting someone much smaller than him…I think it's Rui."

"Don't those two spar all the time? Why do you seem so anxious about this, Toph?" Aang was quite good at picking up on Toph's thoughts. Darn him.

"Because this doesn't feel like every other sparring session they have had. Something's wrong."

Aang and Katara stared at Toph for a minute before Katara spoke. "Let's go break it up, then."

"And ask a few questions."

"Yes, that is the point, Twinkle Bunny."

"You know, I think I like Twinkie better."

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**Taang. So, so awkward. But Rui is fighting Li? I wonder why…**


	22. Chapter 22

**The chapter where all is revealed, and potentially another twist is thrown in for good measure…**

**Hah. You guys are awesome with your reviews. I love hearing how you all respond to each chapter! **

**Anonymous I Think – the sister is added to the review equation! Awesome! **

**Scherherazade – thanks for your thoughtful comments! And yes, Georg did say something about a sister…keep that in mind…**

**Chapter 22**

When Katara stepped outside next to Aang and Toph, she almost didn't recognize Rui for the outrage on his face. She'd never seen the kid so angry. What had set him off? She panned over to Li. He seemed perfectly calm, as always. Katara raised an eyebrow when she noticed one extra person in the mix.

"What's Ty Lee doing there?"

"Trying to do what we're here to do. Break it up." Aang crossed his arms, confused. "But for some reason, she's having trouble."

"Is he that good a fighter, Katara?" Toph shifted her head a bit, likely focusing more on the vibrations to get the answer to her own question.

Katara answered anyway. "He's good, but he isn't a master. Yet. He definitely is on his way, though. But I don't wonder that Ty Lee is having trouble containing him – if that's what she's even doing. Is he fighting against her?"

"Only one way to find out, Queenie."

Katara nodded and walked forward, uncorking her water pouch as a cautionary measure. As she moved closer, she saw Rui's hands twitch and lift a small quantity of water into the air. He threw it toward Li, who flashed to the side but didn't retaliate, keeping his wary eyes on Ty Lee. Ty Lee was crouching a few feet away from Rui, looking for all the world like she was enjoying a country fair, but Katara – and Li, apparently – knew better. Rui was in good hands.

"Ah, hey Katara! You're missing out on all the fun! Rumi here is pretty angry – look at his angry face! Aww – and his buddy Li isn't being very nice about it, is he?" She put on a pouty face to emphasize her words as she tsked at the two students. "I tried to get them to play nice, but would they listen to me? No…now, Rui, that's not such a good i-"

Rui, who had attempted another sphere-throw, was now drenched in his own water. Li's hands were raised, having caused the water to break, but he didn't even crack a smile at the spectacle. What was happening here?

Ty Lee finished her sentence. "-dea." She started giggling. "Ah, well. Slow learner, what can you do?"

"Shut up!" Rui yelled viciously, talking to Ty Lee but directing his anger at Li. "Li. Answer me. I deserve that much from you. I deserve that much! Why did you do it?" When Li didn't answer, Rui ran at Li and, forgetting waterbending entirely, began swinging barely controlled punches at Li's torso. Li started to duck, spin, and block, always on the defensive, never retaliating.

Katara decided to use his preoccupation to her advantage. "Li. Rui is asking a good question." She didn't know whether Rui knew that Li was the assassin, or if it was even true, but she had to find out. "Why did you do it?" Li said nothing, just as he had said nothing when Rui asked a similar question.

But Rui hadn't given up on asking questions. Even as he threw punch after punch at Li, he ground out another. "I heard you. I heard you talking to that man!" Li expertly blocked two successive blows, and Rui threw his hands down and tried to drive into Li's side using his shoulder. Li dodged and Rui stumbled, but recovered quickly. "He told you to kill the General, didn't he? Didn't he?" Another punch, which Li easily avoided.

Hypothesis confirmed. It didn't make Katara feel very patient anymore. It was time for Li to start talking. "Why did you try to kill my father?"

The words were louder and more emotional than she had meant them, but they had the desired effect. Li faltered slightly. Rui, ever the opportunist, slid under Li's defenses and landed a clean, solid blow on the youth's jaw. Li stumbled backwards and put a hand to his cheek, breathed heavily, but still said nothing.

Katara continued, walking forward as she spoke. "Your ring. The one around your neck. It belongs to someone from the royal line of Hertzer, doesn't it?" Li dragged his fist across his mouth and dropped it to his side. Would he speak?

Yes, but he would spit first. Rui apparently had a good left hook, if he could land it. "You don't understand," Li muttered. "I can't let anyone get in my way."

Katara gritted her teeth, her anger warring with her sympathy, sympathy she wasn't sure he deserved but hoped desperately that he did. "Why do you have that ring, Li?"

"Stop asking me questions!" Li's calm cracked wide open, and with a flourish, he swept his right hand across his body, drawing a moderate amount of water from the pond at his feet into two long masses that hung at his shoulders. He curled his fingers one by one into fists, then splayed them and twisted his wrists so his hands now lay flat, his palms up toward the sky. The long watery forms grew edges, becoming thinner and thinner until they resembled blades, blades that took on menacing sharpness when in one final move, Li let out a breath of cool air. In his hands he now expertly twirled two long knives forged of ice.

Another hypothesis confirmed. These knives weren't exactly like Georg's blade…but Georg hung around Mai at the school. It wasn't unreasonable to assume that Li could have gained access to his knife in order to recreate it. But he still hadn't confessed.

Katara tried one last time. He had to answer one way or another. Whether he used words or attacked her with the same weaponry he had used on her father, the result was the same. He was guilty. "The questions are fairly simple. I can make them even simpler, if that will help." She lifted her hands, gloving them with liquid from her pouch. "WHY?" She shouted the final question to the rooftops, acknowledging the thrill of bending as Li lost the rest of his reserve and lifted his blades over his head, about to let them fly toward her chest.

"Paetr, no!" In a split second, a blur of black darted into the empty space between Katara and her opponent. It was a young woman clothed in dark pants and a tailored shirt, a short braid of black hair falling to her shoulders. She stood from the crouch she had landed into, and turned toward Li, her face resolute. "Stop this."

"Yuki?" Rui breathed. He sounded as confused as Katara was, and dropped the water he had been bending to catch Li off his guard. "Wait, what did she just call him?"

Li dropped the knives to his sides and stared back at Yuki.

"Retzl. What are you doing here? I've already told you, a princess who gives up her right to the throne has no right to order me."

"What about the woman you're in love with?" Li hesitated at the question. It was enough. With all her strength, Katara threw her arms forward and gripped the liquid inside Li's body, forcing him to his knees and holding him there.

He didn't bother to struggle. Although Katara hadn't physically demonstrated the bloodbending technique in class, Li knew she had mastered the skill. He glared up at Yuki. "Ha. The woman who betrays me?"

"No, Paetr. The woman who knows this is not what you want. Who knows that her father has been influencing you by threatening me." She brushed her bangs from her forehead. "Where did you get my ring? From him?"

Li glowered and said nothing. Yuki – Retzl? – moved toward him and kneeled on the ground, staring into his face. Hesitantly, she reached toward his shirt, tugging on the chain around his neck, revealing the ring. She laughed cynically. "He's had this ring since mom and I left Hertzer, months ago. I left it there myself."

"You left me, too." Li jabbed.

Retzl glared into his eyes, then shook her head. "I'm sorry I never told you why. We had to get away from him." Li looked at the groun, his expression frustrated and a little hurt. Retzl scoffed. "Did he say he knew where I was, Paetr? That he could hurt me if you didn't help him?" Li – Paetr – looked up, then, his eyes pained. Retzl continued. "Paetr. He's a liar. A liar! I've been perfectly safe. Perfectly hidden. And I can defend myself. You didn't have to become some lackey! You didn't have to do something so-" she faltered and looked to the ground. "so horrible."

Paetr just stared at her, his lips tight, his eyes angry. "Well, he found you, Retzl. He found you. So you know why I did it."

Retzl looked up again. "Because you love me." He just glowered at her. She shook her head. "You're a fool."

Paetr clenched his hands. "I couldn't let him hurt you!"

"I know."

"He told me if I…helped him, he'd leave you alone."

"Only if you actually did what I told you to do, Li." A new voice interrupted the conversation. Katara didn't dare glance up, instead focusing all her efforts on containing Li. Paetr. This would take some getting used to...

Even as Katara's head spun with the information she had just gleaned, her skin shivered at the slimy voice she knew all too well. Hari. Maybe he wouldn't notice her with her hair down. Then again, she was kind of bending the blood of the man of the hour.

Hari, his pot belly curling over his too-tight belt, stalked into the yard accompanied by a squadron of personal guards, about twenty in all. He ignored Katara as if she were a fly to be brushed away and sneered down at Li. Paetr! "And you didn't. General Hakoda is not dead. I gave you multiple chances to complete your task. But here you are, and Hakoda lives on. I knew I should never have given such a great responsibility to one so young and foolish. Now look what I have to do. Clean up after you."

Paetr glowered up at his erstwhile master, baring his teeth. "I completed your task! You just changed your game!"

"Ah, but that _is_ my prerogative. You stopped following my instructions, and that has consequences." He started walking toward Retzl. She drew up her fists, looking like she was ready to bend, not even acknowledging her father with a greeting. Hari smiled and lifted his hands ingratiatingly.

Paetr growled. "You said you'd leave her alone!" At the heat in his voice, Katara was inclined to let him go and watch him beat Hari to a pulp. But perhaps that wouldn't be the most diplomatic choice at the moment. Hari wasn't making any threatening moves as yet, Retzl could defend herself, and he was talking. Information was something she needed.

Hari laughed, stopping about ten feet from a vicious-looking Retzl. Good for her – she didn't look at all afraid. "Hello, my sweet." He turned to look at Li again. "Of course I'm not going to hurt my own daughter. She's an integral part of my plan. She has to be…encouraged to take the throne, that's all."

Li glowered. "You lied to me. And you said you'd leave her-"

"Alone, yes, I remember what I said." He pouted mockingly. "Of course _that_ was a lie. And I needed something from you, so I fake-threatened her life. Oh, how _evil_ of me. But now I don't need you anymore. I've sent someone to finish the job you were supposed to complete."

"I'm not a killer, Hari. I told you as much this morning."

"See," Hari drew a hand to his chin. Perhaps the squadron of soldiers behind him had something to do with his nonchalance. "That's the thing. I already knew that about you. But I also knew you were the only one with the skills to get into the central rooms – the only one who could access Hakoda. So I told you to just scare him a little – a couple scrapes, I think that's the way I worded it, right? Heh." He smiled and looked into the distance, contemplating his genius. "And then I simply slipped some of my special poison into your water pouch. One cut with your little water-knife, and he'd be dead." His grin faded into a frown. "But you couldn't even kill him that way!"

Li laughed cynically. "And now you've sent someone else to kill him? What makes you think you'll be able to do that? He's surrounded by guards."

"Ha. I'm not planning on killing Hakoda. That ship has sailed. I've sent someone to get rid of my obstacle the simple way."

"King Georg," Retzl breathed. Katara's eyes opened wide in alarm and she lifted her head, losing her concentration slightly. If Li had wanted, he could have broken free, but he stayed still.

Hari laughed. "Yes, my little sweet, _King_ Georg, the man who stole your job from you. The man who is in the way of my ruling Hertzer from the shadows. Suffice to say I trust this woman to do the job and take him out of commission. Permanently. He's probably dead already."

Retzl's face morphed with rage. "You…you…"

Hari tsked and shook his head. "Don't get so angry, sweetie. You'll ruin your good looks. Just like your mother ruined hers working like a peasant in a horrible city like Ba Sing Se." He laughed a little bit and looked back over at Li. He raised an eyebrow. "By the way, why are you crouching like-"

"You have _no right to speak of her_!" In a flash, Retzl had bent her knees, seeming almost to cower before her father before thrusting both hands deep into the earth. Her lips curled upward and she stared up at him. "Would you like to see what your daughter learned in school today?"

Before Hari could respond, Retzl had thrown her arms upward, causing two thick, smooth pillars to burst from the earth at her sides. As they lifted above her head, spraying dust and pebbles into the air, she pulled her hands in toward her chest and crossed them in an 'x' shape, one hand curved, the other straight. She smoothed the palm of her straightened hand with a whisk over the other hand, and as she threw it to her side, the pillars broke cleanly into evenly spaced pieces stacked on top of each other. Ammunition. Katara was impressed.

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**Ooohhhohohooo someone is going DOWN. Also, a shameless plea for fanart? In a hopeful voice?**


	23. Chapter 23

**Yeah, chapter 23! No zutara yet. Mostly because this chapter is devoted to Toph, Yuki, Hari, and one other character…**

**But more zutara is coming, I promise you that. I'm just making you squirm a little bit longer. All good things! whyborn – you specifically asked for this, so no complaining ;D**

**BlueStripedPolo – the reason I use MMMMM for my scene breaks is because I tried underscores, hyphens, and asterisks, and for some reason removed them every time I uploaded. So I was like, my story starts with M. Let's try that. And it worked. :)**

**As always, you guys rock with the reviews. Thank you! EDITED 8/25 so Toph doesn't call Yuki Retzl…Thanks, Anonymous I Think!**

**Chapter 23**

Toph was impressed. She hadn't taught Yuki that particular move. The basic components, yes, but Yuki had come up with the combination all by herself. Very nice, indeed.

Oh, crap. Her name wasn't Yuki, was it? Didn't Li call her something else? Ah, well. She'd always been Yuki in class, and Toph couldn't be bothered at the moment to think of her actual name. Ooh, maybe she would just call her Blondie exclusively from this moment. Problem solved.

"Hey, Blondie, you need an assist?" From what Toph could feel Blondie was pretty well in charge of the situation. But then there were all the idiots behind Hari, many of whom seemed like they were itching to get in on the action. Not very bright, were they? Toph wasn't even sure any of them could bend.

So now the question was, did Toph wait for them to make a move, thereby justifying her attacking them out of defense? Or did she make the first move, assuming they would probably attack soon anyway?

She wasn't good at waiting. Aang always told her to wait. Stupid man.

At the thought of the arrow-headed idiot, she remembered to look for him. Had he made it over the courtyard wall without too much trouble? She couldn't see him, so she assumed so. She grinned. The moment Aang had heard Hari talking about sending someone to kill Georg, he had turned to Toph, asked her if she could handle things here, and left to make sure Georg would be alright.

Such a gentleman, Aang. Letting her have all the fun.

"I've got Hari covered, Toph. You can take the rest of them." Toph felt Blondie lift an earthen disc from the top of each pillar and heft both of them forward. Solid first move, if a bit predictable. As soon as the discs left her hands, five of Hari's soldiers came forward to defend him, jointly bending a wall of rock in front of their master against which the discs shattered, ineffective.

So at least five of the soldiers were earthbenders. Toph grinned. It was like Festival and New Years all rolled into one.

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This was far too easy. A representative of the Fire Nation had access to basically anything. Maka was almost sad she hadn't thought to use her influence to get her way like this before. It was funny how a great deal of money and little bit of idealistic blather from a fat foreigner could change your perspective on things.

Maka grimaced at the thought of serving on that stupid council for a moment longer. Hari had done her a favor. She had thought that the rest of her life would be filled with meaningless meetings and empty chatter about evening dinners and grocery lists. But now, she was part of a political scheme; an intricate coup d'etat.

Add to that the fact that she was now trusted by the next effective ruler of Hertzer with a job as delicate as assassination, and Maka felt quite important. More important than thirty years behind the walls of the palace at home had ever made her feel.

True, assassination wasn't a very…clean task. But it required skill, and planning, and fortitude. She wouldn't be scared away by it. If this scared her, think of how frightened she'd be of the bloodletting that was part and parcel of ruling Hertzer. Hari had promised her a high position in his government. It was incentive enough.

As soon as this job was over, though, Maka would be relieved. The first time for anything was a nerve-wracking business, let alone a first…kill. Shaking off her anxiety, she nodded to the guards at Georg's cell door. They were oblivious to her plans, but recognized the authority in her gaze and her garb, and let her pass without incident. Maka nodded again in satisfaction as she entered, noting that Georg was being kept in a sort of complex, with his actual cell at the end of a long, dimly lit hallway. With the metal door closed, the guards wouldn't hear a thing.

She walked slowly up to the end of the hall and peered into the room before her, squinting against the light, hanging back so she wouldn't be noticed right away. Georg (it had to be him; he was the only person in the room) was there, behind bars, sitting on a cot and leaning back against the stone wall. He looked relaxed. This would be easy enough.

Steeling her nerves and pressing the yells of her conscience to a muted hum, Maka slid her right foot in front of her and loosened her muscles, taking up an attack stance. With a gesture, she ignited the air before her such that a small flame, so packed with energy that it glowed blue and so hot that Maka almost turned her head away from it, appeared before her. At the light of it, Georg looked up and over at her. His eyes widened, but it was too late.

With a flick of her wrist, the flame shot across the room, through the bars, and…

Hit the wall behind Georg. Drat. He was a quick one.

No matter; the cell didn't afford much in the line of wiggle room. She'd simply have to try again. And again, and again, and again, until she got it right. She'd always learned to practice in order to hone a particular skill.

Her face carefully expressionless, Maka eased into the room and ignited another fireball. She lifted her arms, ready to send the flame forward yet again, when she caught a glint of light against metal out of the corner of her eye. Out of instinct, she ducked and rolled to the side. When she looked up she noticed two things. First, that there was a short blade stuck in the cracks of the wall over her head – right where she had been before she ducked. And second, that the thrower of that knife, who had materialized from her perch in the near corner (note to self, check the interior corners of a room before you assume no one is in them), looked very, very angry.

The thrower's words were quiet, despite her vicious glare. "Care to explain what you're doing?"

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She had Hari covered, alright. Retzl – it was strange to be called by her real name again – had waited to wreak vengeance against this man for months upon months for the fear and the frustration he had caused her mother. Retzl's mother had only recently really recovered from the psychological manipulations he had weaved around her for the long years of their marriage, and even after their divorce. She was a strong woman, but even a strong person under years of constant relational attack will crack under the weight.

Luckily Retzl was there to provide support. And protection. And righteous indignation in the form of some serious earthbending.

During the last few minutes, Retzl had learned that the wall of earth was basically rendering her disc-throwing obsolete. She had to figure out a way to get past it. It wasn't going to be easy; it extended completely around Hari in a sort of open dome. In her rage, she had circled the thing no less than three times, expending every last disc in her ammunition at it. But it wouldn't budge. This made sense, however annoying it was; the wall was currently being maintained by five earthbenders and therefore was next to impossible for a single bender to take down.

She considered the wall; it wasn't really all that tall. With enough of a boost, she might be able to make it over the top.

Retzl was still working out an elaborate plan for how to do this when suddenly the wall crunched back into the earth with a report that turned the heads of everyone in the courtyard. Toph sauntered up to stand beside Retzl, her arms crossed. "You wanted Hari, right? He's all yours. I'll take the five stooges."

The group of earthbenders, seeing their recent defense so easily dashed to the ground, eyed Toph warily, sizing up their chances in a five-to-one fight. Toph spit on her hands and rubbed them together. "Well, come on, boys, the sun's going down, and you won't be able to see for much longer. We want this fight to be fair, right?" With a grin, she took up a defensive stance and waited.

Not waiting to see whether the benders would attack, Retzl ran right at them, assuming Toph would stop them from inhibiting her passage. She was right; as soon as she achieved their line, two stone slabs rose between benders three and four and slid apart, simultaneously forcing a path and knocking them off their balance. With a smile of gratitude, Retzl sped through…

And ducked. Hari had sent a moderately-sized block right where her shoulder had been moments before. Well, good. If he wasn't pulling any punches…

As she rolled, she coated her hands with a thin layer of rock, which, spinning into a crouch, she let fly toward Hari. But he was well-trained, and blocked the attack easily. Retzl hadn't planned on hitting him. She wanted to regain her bearings, and so she had. Now the real fight began.

Or so she thought. The moment she was about to mount another attack, she noticed a strange smile on Hari's face. His eyes looked unfocused, as if he was looking through her…at something behind. She threw herself forward but wasn't quite fast enough to avoid the blow one of Hari's bending soldiers had leveled at her waist. It caught her in the back of the head as she fell. It wasn't a strong enough strike to render her unconscious, but it hurt.

But pain made her angry. She rolled to her side and glared up at her attacker. A thin, moustached man with a rusted breastplate leered back at her. He seemed to think he had subdued her, because his defenses were lax. Retzl used this to her advantage. Still lying on her side, she slammed her left palm into the ground and forced a small bit of earth at the soldier's feet to jerk up slightly. He lost his balance, and Retzl leapt to her feet, regained her footing, and slid her feet apart, gripping the earth at his toes and trapping him with shoes of rock. He looked back up at her, dumbfounded. She lifted the shoes up, feeding more and more earth into the rocky clothing like a weaver at her loom, up, up, until he was trapped up to his shoulders.

She leered into his face, mirroring his earlier (and unfounded) satisfaction. Done and done. Now for Hari.

But of course, like the coward he was, he was gone.

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Hari was not a coward, exactly. He never thought of himself as one, anyway. He had been told he resembled a coward, once. But the person who told him that was long dead, anyway, so what did his opinion matter? Indeed, Hari wasn't even trying to escape. He just wanted to postpone his chat with his daughter until he had more of an advantage.

That advantage was just over the wall. With a smile, and a little bit of heavy breathing from the effort of running so quickly, Hari noted that he was very close to the outer door, for some reason the only opening on this side of the courtyard with access into the street. Once he reached that he would be able to rally his reinforcements – those idiots who wouldn't come in to help unless expressly ordered. Ah, well. You get what you pay for.

Meters away from the door, he realized that his exit was blocked. Blocked by someone who had been a thorn in his side from day one. Paetr.

"You never learn, do you, boy? I told you I'd clean up after you. Thought you'd take it as the threat it was and flee for your life. But you never have followed my orders, have you?"

Paetr frowned at him. "I did, once. Unfortunately for me, the Dai Li probably know that by now."

His tone was regretful and Hari pounced on the opportunity. "You think you're going to be prosecuted for your crime, eh, boy?" He folded his hands and shook his head. "How sad. And I could promise you diplomatic immunity. Once my plan has reached fruition, of course." He eyed Paetr, trying to figure out what the boy was thinking. "I can always take you back under my wing, if you're willing to-"

"I really don't know why I've listened to you talk for so long. Your voice is really…_nasally_, you know that? Maybe you should get that checked." Paetr crouched slightly and raised his fists in front of him. "You know, I think I'll take you down without bending. I kind of like the idea of punching you in the face with my bare hands."

Hari scowled and assessed his position. He hadn't ever been a great earthbender. That's why he was in politics and not in the army. He looked around. Four of his benders were up against that ridiculously powerful blind woman. The nearest of his hired soldiers were occupied fighting someone off in the distance, someone with dark hair. Hm. She seemed oddly familiar. And here stood Paetr, ready to take him out – Paetr, whom he had hired months ago specifically because of his fighting prowess.

Unfortunate. And yet…Hari had one trick up his sleeve – well, over the wall – he knew Paetr wouldn't see coming. But he had to alert them.

Thinking quickly, Hari stomped the ground, kicking up a moderately-sized boulder, and kicked it swiftly toward Paetr's head. Right as Paetr ducked to avoid it, Hari ran with all his might past him. Yes, he was almost to that door! But he heard Paetr's surprised yell behind him. The boy was gaining.

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**No, stop him! Don't let him bring in reinforcements, there's no **_**way**_** Katara and Toph could handle that! I mean, they're such weaklings. (Hehehehe)**


	24. Chapter 24

**The next chapter! Yay. This one is extra long because I am nice and because I have to take a break until Sunday. So enjoy! **

**WoodysRedBo – my apologies; I had hoped it wouldn't be too confusing. Chapter 22 sort of sets up that Hari-Retzl scene in chapter 23, but the long and short of it is that Retzl is Yuki's actual name, because she is from Hertzer, and Hari is her father (we don't know his real name yet, but he's originally from the earth kingdom so it isn't something Hertzian). Hope that helps to clarify.**

**As always, thanks for the reviews! :)**

**Chapter 24**

How would he do it? Should he go the simple route, and just walk up to her, grab her hands, and let fly an "I love you?"

No, too...normal. When he told her, he wanted it to be special. Hmm. Ah, a much better idea would be to tell her while sitting next to her in the grass and gazing at the stars. He could reach around her shoulders and whisper it softly in her ear. That would be romantic, right? But how to get there in the first place? Just say 'Hey, Katara, let's go out into that field and sit there for a while until I work up the courage to tell you something important?'

Bah. Maybe that wasn't a great idea after all. He needed to talk to Sokka about this. He was more of a romantic than Zuko. Well, more experienced with the wooing process, anyway.

It was just all so complicated! For instance, exactly what words did one use when working up to the actual declaration? He had pondered this far too often and still hadn't come up with an answer. Did he talk about the weather? 'What a warm evening. Oh, that reminds me, I love you.'

Hah. No, Zuko, that would just confuse her. But what, then? Did he praise her good qualities and then go in for the kill? 'Katara, you're so skinny. And your hair is so…long. And your eyes! Love those. So, like, maybe you should know that I love you." Ugh. Nice compliments, Fire Lord.

No. Stupid idea. And 'I love you' _seemed_ simple. But what tone should he use? And what inflection? Should he go up or down at the end? And should he say it as if he was stating a simple fact, or yell it to the rooftops, like he wanted to do every time he saw her?

He couldn't come up with an answer. And in focusing all his thoughts on Katara, he had forgotten what he was doing. He looked around. Oh. Dai Li Headquarters. He had been following Maka.

He had been doing this too often, of late – daydreaming of Katara when he should have been paying heed to his surroundings. Now he applied himself again to the problem at hand.

Why was Maka in this building, anyway? He found it odd that she would come to Ba Sing Se just to meet with someone in the secret police. Maybe she had a relative who worked here, or something. At any rate, he had to find her before he could ask.

But where had she gone to?

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Retzl would _not _let Hari escape so easily. She had followed his progress after securing the ill-timed earthbender idiot – he might have been overweight, but he was spry – and was glad Paetr had slowed him down so she could catch up. But Paetr was supposed to hold him, not let him escape!

Seeing that Hari was almost to the outer door of the courtyard, she planted her feet and lifted with all her might. A solid wall of rock blocked the exit completely. But Hari was tenacious. He took up a bending posture and started pounding the wall down with successive, albeit weak, strokes. The wall fell about a foot every time.

He was desperate. Even Retzl could see that. She slowed her steps as she caught up with Paetr, who was now walking slowly towards the old manipulator. He turned his head to acknowledge her presence and sighed. "We should probably stop him, huh?"

"Yes."

"Without killing him?"

"Paetr."

"Just checking. Quicksand?"

"Exactly what I was thinking." And then Retzl smiled to herself, because she and Paetr were on the same wavelength again; both thinking of a technique they had developed together in their youth back in Hertzer. Retzl started stirring the earth beneath Hari's feet, quietly, causing dust to start rising a foot above the ground. She left him standing on a disc of solid rock, leaving him none the wiser that he was being attacked.

Paetr grabbed some liquid from one of the hundreds of water barrels that lined the edge of the courtyard for use in lessons and spread it, like a carpet, beneath Hari's boots. With one quick motion, he pressed the water into the loosened ground. And as Hari pounded the wall, Retzl and Paetr bent the water and earth together into a mixture of mud. As soon as Hari looked down and noticed what was happening, Retzl dropped the solid platform and Hari sank up to his chest.

Retzl nodded to Paetr, who lifted his hands, bending all the water out of the earth and leaving Hari stuck in dried mud. Retzl compressed the mud into rock again, careful not to kill Hari in the process. Hari, of course, was unhappy about this, and let them know by raging obscenities in their general direction. But Retzl looked up at Paetr's face and smiled with the joy that only comes when a person you love has proven themselves honorable.

Of course Paetr wasn't a murderer. Of course he hadn't intended Hakoda to die. Of course he was only following her father because of her welfare. Because he loved her. And maybe, just maybe, she felt the same.

Only now was not the time. Retzl had neglected to seal Hari's mouth, and he used it, yelling out a single order that brought fifty soldiers over the top of the wall.

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This was not good. Mai only had one knife left. In her struggle against this vaguely familiar female firebender, who was far too nimble given her apparent age, she had kept one step ahead of the fire – she was used to dodging fire, given her experience with Azula – but had only managed to graze the woman a couple times with her attacks. Now her knives were laughing at her, all sunk in a row along the wall behind the firebender, and her last was a precious resource. She had to wait for the right moment to use it.

But she couldn't just throw it. If she did and she missed, she would be completely unarmed and unable to protect Georg. But firebending was a ranged weapon, so the woman could just keep her distance until both Mai and Georg were dead. The only reason the woman wasn't bending now was because every time she had, Mai had answered with a narrowly-missed blade. But the blades were almost gone. Mai leaned back against the bars of Georg's cell. "I don't suppose you have any knives in there?" She whispered, trying not to move her lips too much.

"Confiscated. Sorry." Georg replied. He looked nervous and frustrated at the same time. He kept his eyes on the attacker. "Mai, I told you you can just-"

"I'm not leaving, Georg."

"She's pretty good, Mai."

"Don't think I can handle her?" That got her back up.

"Given a fair fight, of course. But you're out of weapons after this one, right? I counted. You only have ten. There are nine in the wall. What can you do without a weapon?"

She glowered. He was right. She had come to the same conclusion. But there was no way she was leaving him to die.

Maka had been breathing quite heavily up to this point, probably from the effort of sending flame after flame at Mai's head, but her breathing had slowed. From the predictable, yet deadly, pattern of their altercation, Mai knew that Maka was about to try again. Mai tensed, deciding at that moment that she would try something risky when Georg spoke up, loudly enough that Maka could hear from across the room.

"Before you try all the fire stuff again, can I get one question in? If that isn't too much to ask." Georg had stood and moved out of Mai's shadow, exposing his body to Maka's potential attack, but, luckily, throwing her off her guard by the apparently stupid act. Maka raised an eyebrow. Georg continued. "Could you tell me who you work for?"

Maka's eyes kept flitting between Mai and Georg, and Mai tried to look menacing enough that Maka would think twice about taking a cheap shot. It seemed to work, because Maka nodded slightly. "It's all the same to me. You're dead anyway. Both of you. I don't even know who you are, lady, but you have to run out of knives sometime. Fire doesn't run out so easily." She grinned then, not a pretty picture, especially since it seemed contorted, touched simultaneously by the rush of adrenaline and, Mai thought, the horror of her planned act. So she wasn't completely debased. That might work in their favor.

"Right. So enlighten me. I assume whoever it is also had something to do with my being in this cell in the first place?" Georg glanced quickly at Mai, so quickly that she almost didn't pick it up. But in that glance, Mai saw desperation and regal command all at once. Mai knew what she had to do.

"On the nose, King. On the nose."

"And this man wouldn't happen to be named, oh, I don't know, Nobu?" Maka looked nonplussed, so Georg tried again. "I've heard he also goes by the name Hari."

Maka's mouth opened slightly. At that, Mai started shifting slowly, ever so slowly, away from the bars of Georg's cell and toward the side of the room. If she could just get a little bit closer…

Georg smiled. "You're surprised. You didn't think I would know that. I have sources just as well as he does, I assure you. He's plagued me from the moment I took the throne. Sends spies to watch me all the time. Quite inconvenient."

Just keep moving, slowly, Mai, so you don't alert her…

Georg continued in a conversational tone. "I think I may have frustrated his own bid for power, so I can only assume he's trying to rectify the situation now. Pretty good plan, I must admit." Georg looked up at the bars, smiling cynically. "Nothing I can really do stuck in a cell in the earth kingdom."

Maka eyed Mai warily then, and Mai dragged her fingers along the stone wall to her right, fixing Maka's gaze. Would she make a move? Mai couldn't protect Georg from a direct hit now – she was too far away. Maybe this wasn't the best idea.

Georg seemed to realize that because he began talking again to hold Maka's attention. "What is he offering you, anyway? Money? Some high position of power in case he ever _can_ secure the throne?" Maka blinked, but didn't respond.

Mai moved again, and Maka whipped around to face her fully. "Stop. Moving."

Georg laughed, and she jumped at the sound, frowning again at him. Mai continued walking. Georg glared at her and raised his voice. "He's promised more to others before. Last I heard, they were fertilizing the rice fields outside Sinche." He paused. "Dead, in other words."

Maka shook her head. "These are just the last bids of a dead man."

Georg shrugged. "Think what you want. But I know him better than anyone. He had the gall to send someone to kill the man who was king before me. No one heard from that assassin once the job was done. And what happened to the man who tried to assassinate Hakoda to frame me? What's Hari's 'grand reward' for that guy?"

Maka glowered. "Hari is terminating him right now."

Georg laughed even harder this time, holding his stomach. "Can't you see? You're just another in a long line of expendable employees."

Maka seemed about to respond to that when Mai made her move. She wasn't as close as she would have liked, but hopefully Maka wouldn't be able to recover her wits in time to block her attack. Mai crouched low and sprinted with all her might, her knife flashing in her right hand, her left ready to punch, scratch, anything to subdue the woman. She was almost there. She lifted her arm to swing the knife.

And Maka regained her wits. Flames consumed Mai's vision. She only had the chance to lift her arms to protect her face before the fire threw her back against the wall. She barely heard Georg's voice yelling something before consciousness left her.

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"Pleasant company, pleasant tea; these make an ordinary evening extraordinary." Iroh sighed after his quotation, sipping from a porcelain cup and enjoying the aroma that filled his nose.

"You've said that every day for the past week, Iroh."

"Oh? I must be getting old and forgetful."

"You've said that, too." The woman across the table, the forty-ish proprieter of Iroh's currently favorite tea shop, smiled in humor.

"Ah? But I at least-"

"Never forget a face as pretty as mine, I know, Iroh." She laughed. Iroh was glad to elicit such a lovely sound from such a lovely woman. "But if you're getting old, I must be, too. I feel it, at least. Especially on days like this." She looked up at the overcast sky, smiling a sad sort of smile. Iroh knew that expression. Rememberance of things lost.

They had talked briefly about her past, once, but nothing of import had come up. Just enough to intrigue him even more, and make him all the more certain that there was more to this tea shop owner than met his well-trained eyes. Perhaps she would be more open today.

"You look distressed, madam. Is the weather so depressing?" Iroh offered a kind smile and waited patiently, not wanting to press her for the information. If she wanted to tell him, she would. Luckily most of the other tea-drinkers had left for home by now. It was getting dim outside.

"Call me Beate, Iroh." She looked at him then, more frankly than she ever had before. Perhaps she was considering the merits of taking him into her confidence. Iroh could never be quite sure with her. But Beate was a wonderful name. It meant 'blessed.'

"Blessed Beate. Why would a woman with a name like that look so unhappy?"

That was all it took. With a light laugh that tickled Iroh between his shoulder blades, Beate relaxed her muscles and leaned forward in her chair, fixing Iroh's gaze. "I'm not…unhappy, not really. I'm just remembering some of the less 'blessed' events of my past. I do that often when my daughter is not here to distract me."

"Ah, yes. Your daughter. What was her name?"

"Yuki, here in Ba Sing Se. But I gave her the name Retzl."

"Little lamb." Iroh chuckled. Quite the meaning. From what he'd heard of Yuki from Toph, the girl was anything but.

"She's always been my little lamb, yes. How do you know the meanings behind all these names?"

Iroh smiled and set his teacup down. "I enjoy knowledge, and am quite good at gleaning random tidbits here and there."

"Yes, that seems like something you would enjoy." She paused and looked around. The last customer had taken her leave. She looked back at Iroh, a nervous tinge to her eyes. "Would you like to hear a story?"

Iroh had been waiting to hear this story from the moment he met Beate. "By all means, Beate. But I don't want to force you to tell anything that is hard to bear."

"Please. I've repeated these events so often in my dreams they have ceased hurting me." The pain in her eyes belied that statement, but Iroh refrained from commenting.

With a sigh, Beate began her tale.

"I'm a lot more like you than you think, Iroh. My blood is blue, though I've long since rejected my royal heritage."

Iroh smiled. "I've always thought you were a queen. This is nothing new."

"Flattery will get you nowhere." But Beate grinned as she said it. "Long ago, when I was young and foolish, my father, then King of Hertzer, wanted me to succeed him. I was twenty-two at the time, old enough to know better than to rebel, but for some reason I couldn't bear the thought of putting myself through what he went through daily." She tensed. "He ruled a people who had no gratitude. He was constantly under threat of assassination. And every moment he was pulled closer and closer into webs woven by the political machinations of others."

She sighed. "At the time, I thought I was noble in resisting his plans for my life. But I know now that I was just a coward."

Iroh didn't respond. He knew all too well what cowardice could do to a person. He was reminded of his nephew's face, colored by fear and hatred, as he betrayed his own uncle to his manipulative, misguided sister. But Zuko had been redeemed. Iroh glowed with pride every time he remembered that.

"Cowardice led me to leave Hertzer at a dead run, despite my father's pleas, and in spite of the fact that I was leaving my only brother without a sister to look up to. He was only ten years old when I left. How I wish I could take that decision back." She looked down and leaned her forehead on her hands, staring into her teacup. "But it's too late."

Iroh knew for a fact that it was never too late. He was about to say so, but Beate continued her story. "I came to Ba Sing Se, and married the first man to give me a compliment. Maybe that was an act of defiance, too, I don't know. Suffice to say I learned the meaning of the proverb, 'marry in haste, repent at leisure.' He was a horrible man. He is still."

She lifted her head and smiled cynically. "I knew that within a year of marriage. But I didn't have the guts to leave him while we were stuck in a foreign land. I was a coward then, too. But then Yuki – Retzl – was born. And I couldn't be a coward any longer."

"Did he hurt you?" Iroh barely concealed the rage he was feeling at the thought of some thick-skulled idiot harming Beate.

She shook her head. "Not physically. But psychologically, he manipulated and controlled me to the point of forbidding me to go out in public without his permission. I couldn't let Retzl grow up in that environment. So I suggested we return to Hertzer." She took a sip of tea. "It took a couple years for that idea to incubate enough that he thought it was his own. At that point, Retzl was already two years old. I was desperate to get back to Hertzer."

"And you left him then?"

"Yes, as soon as we got back. I divorced him. He was all bark and no bite, back then. He tried to stop me, but I'd made up my mind. And I ran far, far away from him, so he couldn't ever find me or my daughter." Beate looked so forlorn then that Iroh wanted to grab her hand. "That's when I found out about my father. I wish now that I had just…talked to him one more time before running off to some other country. I know I would have changed my mind."

Iroh shook his head sympathetically. "He died, didn't he."

"I was only gone for three years. I returned, and he had been dead for two years already. I felt horrible. Retzl couldn't meet her grandfather. So I thought about her uncle. But I searched for _him_ for years, and couldn't ever find him. I didn't know if he was even alive. So I was without family in a country steeped in upheaval. But we managed. Hertzer was even quite at peace for a short while, when a relatively well-intentioned king took the throne – a man named Bonhoff.

"I started up a tea shop there, and Retzl made some nice friends. She practiced earthbending, even though I explicitly told her not to – she was the only earthbender, of course – and had a wonderful childhood, all things considered."

Iroh frowned. "You've been a wonderful mother, Beate. Anyone can see that."

"Hardly. But thank you for the sentiment." She reached and grabbed his hand, then. He smiled automatically at the gesture and squeezed back. She sighed again. "Turns out, while we were enjoying our time away from politics, my husband was weaseling his way in. He realized at some point that Retzl would be a key element to his gaining power, so he looked for us, and found us, and tried to kidnap her when I told him to leave us alone.

"And about that time, Bonhoff died. Murdered. Hertzer was no longer a safe hideaway. So I took Retzl and returned here, where I've been ever since."

Iroh paused to make sure that Beate was finished. She still hadn't allowed herself to cry, to release her pain, so Iroh spoke the words he knew would drop her last emotional guard. "And Georg, King Georg – he is your brother."

At that, Beate covered her face with her hands and started quietly sobbing. She choked out an affirmative but was unable to say anything more. Iroh scooted his chair closer to her and placed a hand on her arm. "You still feel guilty? Is that why you are so sad, Beate?"

She sniffed and sat back. "Of course I feel guilty. I've deprived my daughter of a beloved uncle for most of her life because of my stupidity in leaving."

"Without that stupidity, you wouldn't have Retzl."

"I know! I know, but I still feel like it's my fault. And to make matters worse, I learned months ago that he was still alive, that _he_ was the new King of Hertzer, and I still haven't been able to face him _or_ tell my daughter who he really is!"

Iroh raised an eyebrow. "Ah, I can see why confronting your brother after so long would be difficult. But as for your daughter knowing about him, surely that can't be a difficult thing to reveal. 'Georg is your uncle.' Four simple words."

"It isn't that simple, and you know it, Iroh."

"Sometimes the hardest things to say are the things that most need to be said."

"Again with the truisms." But she had stopped crying and was half-smiling.

He elbowed her, feeling younger than he had felt in years. "I'll be with you when you tell her, if you like. And when you talk to Georg."

She smiled. "I'd like that."

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**Yay, Retzl's mom appears! She was actually in the story earlier than this, if anyone remembers…:) Oh no, Mai! Will she be alright? And more soldiers! Gah! SO MANY PLOT POINTS. **

**And Zuko is just too darn cute for his own good. :D**


	25. Chapter 25

**Sorry for the delay, folks! Here's your next chapter. I probably won't be able to get the next one out until the weekend again (sorry – I'm a busy, busy person of late). But rest assured, it will arrive! **

**Scherherazade, Georg is about 27, which means Mai is dating an **_**older man**_**. Go, Mai.**

**Thanks for the reviews, everyone! :)**

**Chapter 25**

Katara groaned at the sight of the new soldiers pouring in. Why Hari had prepared an invasion force, she'd never know. All she knew was, they had ladders. Lots of ladders. And she and Rui had only just finished taking care of the first twenty. They were feisty, she'd give them that.

Sliding on a wave of ice around the perimeter of the yard, she glanced over her shoulder at the devastation she had caused. Armored men, most still conscious and sorry for it, were trapped by varying degrees in large sheets of ice. If Katara had had more time, she might have tried to make their ice prisons a little more…artistic. But what can you do.

Rui laughed a little. "That was kind of fun, you know? And I finally got this ice sliding thing down! It's pretty easy, once you get the hang of it." At this point he noticed the new soldiers dropping in across the yard. "Oh, crap."

Katara smiled. For Katara's fifteen, Rui had taken out five soldiers. Not a shameful proportion for a student in his first year. "We'll be fine, Rui. All we need to do is fight these guys just like we did the last few, right?"

Rui's nerves apparently got the better of him, because before he could answer, his feet slipped from under him and he fell backwards. He was saved from whacking his head on the ground, though, by a pillow of water that appeared beneath him. Katara glanced at the bender who had saved him from a bruise and smiled.

"Wow, Rui, you really do suck at ice sliding!" Tami giggled, her pigtails bouncing as she did so. Her sisters, Sora and Lina, looked out at the tumultuous courtyard, awed expressions on their faces.

"I do not! I just slid all the way over here from all the way over _there_!" He pointed to the ice prisms at the other edge of the yard.

Tami blanched. "Are those…people?"

Katara bent the water from her ice slide into her pouch and observed the chaos before her. She had to do something. If Zuko were here, he'd know what to do. The Fire Lord had to have a few tactical tricks up his sleeve. At the very least, his presence at her side – well, not necessarily there, why would he be there? – would make her feel more secure. Where was the man, anyway? Probably off thinking of more ways to simultaneously confuse her and make her want to jump his bones.

She sighed and turned to her students. Time to take charge. "Welcome to the fight, girls. See those soldiers over there?" Katara gestured to the wall, where more and more of the armored men dropped to the ground and advanced on Retzl and Paetr. The two Hertzians were bending madly, protecting themselves and their prey, a very irate-looking Hari, from capture. Katara gleaned immense satisfaction from the fact that the unctuous man was stuck in a slab of rock.

Katara shifted her gaze to Toph. The Blind Bandit was still in the process of fighting the five – make that four – earthbenders. The woman ducked and rolled like a monkey, avoiding flying boulders as if she had better sight than twenty hunters. When Katara noticed the grin on Toph's face, she knew it wasn't that Toph was having any trouble – she was toying with them. Not the time, Toph.

"Are those actually people you _froze_?"

Rui rolled his eyes, and Katara sighed. "Yes," they said in unison.

Katara continued. "Look. We need to get those soldiers out of this courtyard. As fast as possible. Now I have an idea of how we might do this. See that doorway that's partially blocked by a wall of rock?"

Sora and Lina nodded. Tami was still staring back at the trapped soldiers in awe.

"We need that wall down. Sora, you go with Lina and tell Retzl to drop it. The soldiers are getting in, anyway, so it's served its purpose. Then tell all of them to get to the other side of the pond."

"Where all the ice-traps are?"

"Yes, where all the ice-traps are." Stocky Sora nodded brusquely and grabbed Lina's hand, leading her at a sprint toward far-off Retzl and Paetr. Katara was a bit nervous when two soldiers looked to be obstructing the girls, but a flash of water and the armor-clad warriors were lying on the ground.

Satisfied, Katara looked to Tami. She was still staring off into the distance. "Tami. Have you seen Ty Lee?"

"Present!" Ty Lee popped up to Katara's right.

Katara jumped. "Ah!" She glared. "You always _do_ that!" She sighed and didn't bother to ask Ty Lee where she had come from. "Ty Lee, I need you to help Paetr and Retzl get Hari over to the other side of the pond. But first, can you go help Toph out? She appears to be having trouble."

"Which, in Katara code, means tell her to stop fooling around and beat them up, already, right?"

Katara sighed a yes.

"You got it!" Ty Lee bounded happily toward Toph.

Now for Tami and Rui. "Alright. You two, follow me."

"What are we doing?"

"Gathering all the water we can get."

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Zuko had given up on finding Maka. It was impossible in such a labyrinthine building, and the personnel here were less than helpful. Especially the wiry ones.

But, since he was already here, he had decided it wouldn't be a bad idea to pay this poor Georg fellow a visit. He'd been meaning to speak with him for a while, now, but for some reason had never gotten around to it. As he nodded to the guards and passed through the Hertzian's cell door, he thought it odd that such a long hallway lay before him. What was the point of that? With a chill Zuko recalled that formerly the Dai Li had not been quite so kind with their interrogations. Perhaps the length of the hall kept those outside from hearing the screams of a tortured prisoner.

Zuko stepped quietly along the flagstones, approaching the far doorway. Zuko could almost make out the interior of the cell, and what looked to be bars at the far end. He looked back over his shoulder and realized that he was about at the halfway point of the corridor. Turning toward the cell again, he saw something that set off alarms in his mind. A small ball of flame streaked across the cell opening. In another moment, the very air was laced with the piercing scream of a woman in pain. Forgetting everything, he bolted.

He remembered himself enough not to simply throw his body through the doorway, for although it might resemble a heroic act, at its core it was foolhardy. Whoever had sent that fireball was hidden to his right, and in leaping he would give that person the advantage of identification. So instead, he waited. And saw the firebender herself step into the doorway. Her back was to him, and her shoulders were hunched forward, but he could tell by the outfit she wore and the color of her hair exactly who she was.

She hadn't noticed his approach, luckily enough, because someone in the cell – Georg? – was yelling at the top of his lungs. Using her distraction to his advantage, he stepped through the doorway behind her, his quick eyes taking in the details of the scene. A female form slumped against the wall to his left, her back against the stones, her head sagging to the left, obviously unconscious. He couldn't see her face, but he smelled the sickly sweetness of burnt flesh and knew the woman couldn't be in very good shape.

Then he made out what Georg was saying. For the most part, the man was yelling obscenities – some so obscure Zuko had never heard them before – but they were interspersed with the same, repeated, roaring question:

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER?"

Oh, no. It was Mai. Mai was the woman slumped against the wall. And Georg was trapped in a cell, unable to reach her. And this woman, his council member, the woman he had trusted more than many of his subjects, was the reason.

Resolving in his mind the best course of action, Zuko slid his feet silently up behind Maka. She was a head shorter than him, and he could now clearly see Georg's form pressed against the corner of his cell, his hands reaching out toward Mai's still form, tears of anger mixing with the sweat of fear on his cheeks. Georg was now mumbling incoherently, probably assuming that his death was imminent, as Maka had him under her thumb.

But he looked up, and his eyes flashed with surprise as they caught Zuko's form. Maka noticed the sudden change in expression, and before Zuko could slip his arms around hers to immobilize her, she spun, her hand slicing the air and sending an arc of flame around toward Zuko's face. The heat nearing his skin was so familiar that Zuko forgot to flinch and instead dropped to a low crouch and in one practiced motion spun his right leg around and under Maka's feet, swiping them out from under her.

Once his leg swung free from Maka's falling body, he brought it beneath him, using it to propel himself up and over her until his right knee simultaneously pressed her stomach and left arm against the ground. At the same time, his left knee was on her throat and his weight rested on his hands, both of which held her free arm still. He glared into her eyes as she struggled for breath. "Yield, Maka. Your fight is over." He didn't intend to kill anyone today, but she didn't have to know that. He stretched his face into a vicious, heated leer.

Maka was undone by it. She squeezed her eyes shut as she struggled for breath, emitting a few tears in the process, and nodded as best she could. Zuko eased his knee up slightly but kept her arms contained so she couldn't bend. Georg started shouting again. "Zuko! Or whatever your name is! Let me out of this cage so I can help her!"

For a millisecond, Zuko glanced up at the pleading Georg, losing his focus on keeping his prisoner locked down. That millisecond was enough for Maka. With considerable strength, likely backed by desperation, she actually flipped her legs up, kneeing Zuko's ear and pushing him enough to the side that he had to shift his weight or crush her throat. He chose the former, but rather than gratitude, she tumbled into a crouch and gave him a fireball to the head. He was quick enough to duck beneath it, but not quick enough to prevent her next move.

Zuko saw her eyes shift toward Georg's cell. She rose to her feet, one arm held out straight, fingers pointed toward Georg, the other balled into a tight fist at her shoulder. He knew that form. Azula had used it more than once in his presence. In a moment, before he could possibly stop her, she would send a stream of flames toward her victim so wide that there would be no possibility of escape. Feeling in his bones the futility of his act, Zuko gathered his strength and leapt at her, feeling the breeze of her fist as it flew forward, gritting his teeth at the flames, those horrible, unstoppable flames, from whose greedy, licking fingers he was powerless to protect the innocent king.

As his shoulder sank into her side and she fell with him to the ground, Zuko glanced again toward Georg, mourning his death even as the man's eyes widened and mouth went slack, his brow glittering in the light that would soon consume him. As his last act, Georg glanced over to Mai, a sorrowful, resigned expression on his face.

But just as Zuko was about to cry out in frustration, the flames disappeared. They just ceased to exist, as if Georg was shielded from the fire by some invisible wall. Zuko gripped the struggling assassin before him and used his weight to hold her to the ground. Her face pressed into the stone floor and Zuko held a heated hand to her head. "Make one move and I will blast your head from your neck." It was the worst threat he could think of, and it appeared to work, because she stopped struggling immediately.

But how? How had Maka's flames, so true to course, died out just in time? Zuko had an idea as soon as a certain skinny, presumptuous airbender entered the room, maintaining an airbending stance as if ready to attack. Zuko raised an eyebrow. "So now you can just _blow_ fires out?"

"Not quite. Localized vacuum. Sokka suggested it to me awhile ago. Glad it came in handy."

"No air, no fire…" Maka muttered. Zuko pressed her into the ground a bit to remind her of his threat.

Georg gripped the bars and yelled again. "Aang! The keys! PLEASE!"

"On it." He jumped deftly over Zuko and his prey to the wall, caught up the keys, and raced over to Georg's cell door, unlocking it. Georg threw the door open and leapt to Mai's side.

"Mai. Mai! Wake up, please. Wake up." His arms were around her, lifting her head to rest on his shoulder.

"Don't move her too much. I'll go get help."

"Aang, could you, uh?" Zuko gestured with his head to Maka beneath him.

Aang nodded and lifted his hands, bending a mound of earth up and over Maka's body. Zuko jumped out of the way just as the earthen cage closed over her back. "That should hold her until we get the Dai Li to lock her up." Aang paused and considered Mai and Georg. "I may be able to soothe her burns with waterbending," he said. "But she needs a healer."

"Katara." Zuko made to run but Aang held him back with a blast of air. Zuko glared at him and he smiled innocently.

"At least let me tell you where she is. She's in the school courtyard. And, just a heads up, she's fighting a battalion of Hari's soldiers."

All Zuko could get out in response to this sudden revelation was a strangled sound of annoyance, confusion, and worry. She was fighting _what_?

He ran.

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**Yeahhhhh Zuko. Taking Maka out without any firebending. Will he get to bend before the day is out? Only time will tell.**


	26. Chapter 26

**Oh my goodness! Finally, another chapter! I know that's what you're all thinking, and I'm sorry for the delay. Last week was busy. But here is another chapter for you. And the next one is half-written, so that should be up in a couple days.**

**Anonymous I Think - Rui and the other students are in their low teens, like 13-14-ish. Give or take.  
**

**Thanks for all the reviews, as always. They keep me going! :)**

**Chapter 26**

Weaklings. Wouldn't even make it through the first round of an earthbending tournament. Toph had expected a more interesting fight from Hari's lackeys, but apparently it was not to be. And she had been so excited about the prospect of real combat again! Ah, well. Luckily enough, Toph was an adept enough bender to make even a fight against these dullards interesting.

There were four of them, and though initially their numbers had made them cocky – particularly when they found out they were fighting someone who couldn't even tell what color their hair was – a few minutes in, and they were getting wary. Scared, even. But Toph wasn't about to let them run off. She tried a bit of ribbing to bait them. That usually worked with thick-headed mercenaries.

"You know, the only sad thing about this situation – besides your fighting abilities – is that I won't be able to see the looks on your faces when I beat you individually into the ground." She paused in consideration. "Then again, you're probably so ugly I'm lucky I _can't_ see you." Toph's quick duck was informed by steady ripples along the ground about ten feet ahead of her. To make the men even angrier, she finessed the evasion into a casual bob of the head. A rock of considerable size skimmed her hair. "Oh, really? That's supposed to hurt me?" She laughed derisively.

A couple more stones predictably came her way and she avoided each of them in turn, taking up a defensive dance which, to rile them up even further, she made to look as accidental as possible. At one point, she even feigned a trip to avoid a couple boulders that were thrown at her from either side. She heard the two benders groan in annoyance and disappointment.

"Hey, Tophie!"

"Ty Lee?" Toph leaned back and bent her legs to let another rock pass harmlessly across her body. "Why aren't you out paralyzing people? I can feel a pretty big group of these idiots scaling the far wall."

"On my way to help with that, actually. But Katara asked me to deliver a message. Um, something like, and I quote, stop fooling around and beat 'em up."

Toph groaned. "Oh, come on! One, she's not the boss of me. Two, I'm enjoying myself for the first time since I don't even know when." She crouched under another poor attempt at earthbending and lifted an arm, sending a pillar of rock under the jaw of the unlucky attacker. He yelled in pain.

"Oh? I heard you've been having plenty of fun with Aang latel-"

"Shut up, Stretch." Fine. If Katara wanted to suck the fun from every situation, then so be it. She'd beat up the annoyingly boring earthbending squadron.

"Alright, guys, sorry to disappoint, but the dance is off. You don't have enough rhythm for a woman of my talents."

"Do those talents include making out with the Avat-"

"Shut UP, Stretch!" To emphasize her point, Toph bent down to reach her hands to her right ankle and threw her arms up, lifting arms and torso in a smooth arc over her rooted feet, and ending with her hands gripped tightly together at her left ankle. As she did this, a wave of earth burst from the ground at her right and curled with a rushing sound over her head, ending at her left with a impact so strong it shook her chest. Toph was now protected from view by a small dome of rock. But while they couldn't see her, she knew exactly where the four benders were.

Toph stacked her fists on top of each other and twisted. With the motion, the dome above her cracked and split into four even sections, each fully facing one of the benders. She fell to her knees and spread them on the ground, solidifying her stance, then punched her fists upwards and outwards, sending the four slabs of the igloo flying in all directions. Three of her opponents caught their respective rock full on and fell unconscious. One of them, the only one with any real talent, barely avoided the hurtling mass by flipping over the top of it with the use of one hand.

But while he was in the air and falling toward the ground, Toph spun toward him, drew a boulder from the ground, and propelled it to the point in the air where his torso should have been, based on a rough estimate of the arc of his jump and the height of the dome wall that Toph had sent toward him. Toph was a little off, but by the sound of his cry, instead of his stomach, Toph had hit him a little lower. The man was completely incapacitated and ended up down on the ground, groaning in agony.

Toph grinned, pumped her fist in victory, and sealed her foes with belts of earth. This was too entertaining. She laughed and ran after Ty Lee's retreating foot-beats.

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"Alright, that should be enough, Tami." The chubby girl was breathing heavily as she bent one last barrel of water from the outer wall to the courtyard pond. Katara and Rui were slowly swaying arms and bodies back and forth, maintaining a large dome of water bounded by the pond's stone wall. It rose to a height of about ten feet above their heads, and given the pond's size, Katara thought they had enough water to do what she planned. She only hoped Ty Lee and Toph would get everyone out of the way first.

"Yeah, come on, Tami. Help with this. I'm getting seasick with all this swaying."

"You're not the boss of me, Rui." But Tami took up a position at Rui's right and started swaying along with the form. Her pigtails bounced with each turn, and Katara noticed Rui staring at the girl's hair, fascinated.

It was a look she'd seen before, on the face of someone who had been gazing down at her lips at the time. She remembered the heat in his expression, his breath on her cheeks, his mouth hovering over hers…but why hadn't he kissed her? Katara blinked. Why had she expected him to? She was angry at him for attacking her in the first place! Escape plan, my foot.

Katara shook her head to clear it. "Focus." The command was more for herself than her student, but Rui blushed and turned back toward the water dome.

"Right. Sorry."

As Katara continued to sway, she risked a glance over her shoulder to see how Retzl and Paetr were doing. It looked like Toph and Ty Lee had reached them and were helping to keep the soldiers away from Hari's trapped form. Katara couldn't do anything with the water until they were all safely on the other side of the pond. Hopefully now that help had arrived, either Retzl or Toph would be able to unblock the doorway. But those soldiers were tenacious, and they kept coming over the wall.

How many ladders were there, anyway? Fifteen? No matter. As long as she could direct this mass of water enough to funnel it out the door, she and the students would be able to bend enough of it to the side to wipe the wall clean of the things. And if she was lucky, she'd take out most of the soldiers in the process.

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Retzl ignored the protests of her struggling father and stepped towards the blocked door. The two waterbending students who had arrived minutes ago were now efficiently blocking incoming soldiers from getting in her way. Whips of water laced back and forth in front of them. They were pretty good, Retzl had to admit.

Retzl sighed. The students – Lina and Sora – had told her that Katara wanted the door down, but until Toph and Ty Lee had shown up, they had all had their hands full fighting off the swarming horde of soldiers. Why were these idiots so dedicated to her father? She couldn't understand it. He had no estimable characteristics to recommend him. Maybe he had just bribed them all. Retzl heard Paetr at her back and felt renewed fury at her father for manipulating him. She directed that fury to the task at hand.

Her feet planted, she swung each arm one by one in a forward arc, as if pounding down a stake. With two strokes, the wall fell back into the earth it had so recently escaped. Done and done. Now to get Hari out so they could move him. This wasn't quite as easy a task as trapping him had been. She had to be careful not to crush anything vital. Although if he lost a finger or two, really, who would complain?

Deftly, she pulled rock away from the heavyset snake in small chunks, knowing she was supposed to hurry yet not willing to let Hari get away by dying. But even as she worked, Retzl had to smile at the two bending teachers behind her. Even as they fought off groups of five or six soldiers at a time, they spoke to each other as if they were sitting down at a tea shop.

"I said to drop it, Stretch."

Retzl heard a loud crack as of rock on bone. That had probably hurt. She was tempted to turn around to see.

"I only asked what it feels like to-"

"I know what you asked, and I'm not going to answer you!" Another two cracks in rapid succession. Toph was punctuating her conversation with earthbending.

"Why not? I mean, you must have an opinion on the consistency of the-"

"Consistency?" A thud of rock against flesh. "That's the word you choose to apply to my make-out sessions?"

"I'm just curious, Toph."

"I'm not telling you-" Another crash, this time as if two boulders were hitting each other. "-anything about that."

"Aw, no fair. You don't tell me anything fun anymore."

Retzl heard a couple male grunts, and then the thudding sound of two bodies hitting the earth.

"Have I ever told you _anything_ fun before?"

"Good point." Another set of grunts, and another set of thuds.

"Is that a new paralysis technique?"

"Yeah, two at a time. So much more efficient."

"Very nice."

Another chunk of rock pulled from the ground, and Hari was free enough to move. Retzl threw Paetr a grateful look, noticing he had bent a strip of ice around the man to prevent him from bending. Now to move out of Katara's way…

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"Okay, we have to go!"

Toph grimaced and punched another soldier in the jaw with a rock-coated fist. What was Katara's plan, anyway? Toph felt some sort of shifting mass on the other side of the courtyard. She could only guess at what it might be.

"What do you mean? I thought we were trying to clear out these soldiers." Oh, now _that_ was a satisfying crack. Toph grinned and pulled back her fist, hearing the man crumple. What was that, twenty-three, now? She'd have to pay more attention. She was sure Ty Lee was counting her victories and would be more than happy to compare later on.

"Too many of them. She's gonna sweep them out with the pond."

"Come again, Blondie?"

"Sweep them out. With the pond. Anyway we need to get over there before she does. And I have to keep track of my father, so could you back us up while we go?"

Toph shook her head. "Katara is more insane than I am, sometimes." She cracked her knuckles. "Don't tell her I said that."

"I am so going to tell her you said that." This from Ty Lee, who nimbly downed another adversary, giggling with delight as she did so. "But I think we should go now, Toph. Katara won't be able to hold onto that water for much longer."

Toph _really_ didn't think this was a good idea. "If she can barely hold on to it, how can we expect her to bend it?"

Paetr spoke up, fighting as he did so. "Actually, I think she should be able to just release the water and give it a general suggestion of where to go. If that makes sense." He paused to avoid a few attacks. "Which is why we need to get out of the way, I think. Otherwise we'll be caught up and dumped out with the soldiers."

Toph raised an eyebrow. "Okay, Smartypants. You've convinced me. And I guess it's too late to stop her." She sighed. "Well, what are we waiting for?" She turned toward the shifting mass, where she assumed Katara was holding back a deluge. "Let's get over there. Blondie, wanna help? Just copy my form."

"Right."

Toph smoothly windmilled her arms and locked them slightly behind her hips, her fingers splayed. Then she scooped her hands forward and up, crouching down as she did so. "You guys might want to hold on to each other. This is gonna get bumpy." With one final twist of her wrists, the earth beneath the group – Smartypants, Blondie, the captive Sir Porkius, Stretch, the two waterbending students, and Toph – raised up about two feet. Toph started punching her fists forward, towards the opposite wall. With each punch, the disc moved forward. Blondie, bless her quick-learning heart, figured out the move, and started punching on the offbeat to Toph's rhythm, such that the disc started almost gliding across the courtyard.

"Not as smooth as a waterbending ride, but we'll get you there in half the time." Toph grinned at the sweat tickling her eyelids. Others were not so content with the sudden transportation.

Toph heard some groans of protest. One of the waterbending students had fallen to her knees. "I think I'm gonna be sick."

"Hold on, Lina. We're almost there."

Ty Lee laughed. "In other words, wait to vomit until we can get away from you!" She giggled some more.

At the sound of liquid hitting stone accompanied by a telling smell, Toph knew the child hadn't been able to follow Ty Lee's advice.

"Oops."

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**Alas, no Zuko yet. He's probably in transit. Gasp – or maybe he was attacked by bandits on the way! Oh noooooo**


	27. Chapter 27

**Woo the next chapter! This one might have a certain Fire Lord in it. But I won't spoil it for you. Read on!**

**-JansenFriedh827-, Zuko stuck in traffic would be hilarious. And Scherherazade, Zutara may occur in this chapter…:)**

**Thank you for the reviews, everyone! I **_**loves**_** them. **

**Chapter 27**

Worst. Day. Ever. Greene shook his head in anger. What kind of employer decided to send his men up against beasts like that blind woman and her eerily flexible sister? Greene hadn't the slightest idea. All he knew was that as soon as an opening presented itself, he would slip away and return to Hertzer on his own money. Freely acknowledged cowardice was better than death under duress.

Ooh, that was quite a good turn of phrase. Greene would have to write that down and pen it into one of his poems. He had been writing frequently, of late, poems he hoped to sell one day, the money from which would buy him out of this thankless job. But running from duty seemed like so much better of an idea now.

He didn't really know why he was even here. Hari had bewitched him – bewitched him, that was it! – with promises of frequent pay and plenty of women. Greene was sorely ashamed to think of it. He remembered the rosy cheeks and soft skin of the lass he had been courting – well, stalking, but planning on courting – back in the town of Freyth when Hari had showed up. Perhaps if he actually tried talking to her, she'd give him the time of day. He could court her, and marry her. He'd rather be married than here, anyway.

Greene pulled a knife from his boot and prepared to defend himself when he realized that the vicious benders were gone. Where to? Greene's thoughts dulled and his mouth went slack when he noticed a large amount of water sitting lumped in a very unnatural manner where the pond had been. That didn't look right. Or safe.

Then some invisible dam burst, and the water started flowing with the force of its full weight behind it. Greene could only emit a short "Oh, cr-" before the wall of water tumbled him backwards.

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Her friends were safe. It was time.

Gritting her teeth with the effort, Katara nodded to Tami and Rui to move to either side of the pond. They were to stabilize the flow and make sure no water found its way back to hurt any bystanders. Katara's job wasn't so easy.

Katara stood at the very front of the water dome, turned to face it completely, and with a deep breath, let go of it. In that moment, she saw her face reflected perfectly in the smooth, round surface of the dome, and then gravity started working again and the water started collapsing.

Before it reached her feet, Katara spun around and pulled the water with all her might. Her survival instincts were screaming at her to run, and indeed, it looked pure insanity to pull a huge mass of water toward oneself. She could feel it rushing behind her. But just as the wall of liquid was about to tumble her like a ragdoll across the yard, she clapped her hands together and raised them to the sky. The wall of water split in half and curved around her, leaving her on an island in the middle of a veritable tsunami. The part of her brain that wasn't worried about losing control marveled at the beauty of the roaring storm at her sides. The other part of her screamed with the effort of holding it all to its course. She couldn't hold on for long. But she had to get the water out that doorway. And if she could do that, she had to bend some of it – any of it – against the outer wall to get rid of those ladders.

Her concentration explained her confusion when a shadowy form appeared before her, seeming to wade through the deluge from the direction of the soldier-ridden wall. Her only thought was "Who?" when a gaunt, thin-haired man with a hooked nose emerged from the depths. A waterbender. He didn't bother explaining himself; merely flicked his hands once and conjured up a knife made of ice. One of Hari's soldiers.

Katara would have been frightened, had not all her effort been consumed with the task of directing the water. As it was she merely considered, quite emotionlessly, the glint of the man's teeth as he smiled at her, the sharpness of the blade he had created. This man could kill her in a second, and no-one could stop him until the water passed and it was too late. She couldn't just stop bending the rushing storm at her sides to defend herself – if she did that, the water would collapse and probably hurt her friends. It was all she could to to keep the water going the way it was supposed to.

So this was it, then? This was how it ended? She had never forced Toph to tell her about Aang. She'd never apologized to Mai for stealing her lunch that one time. She'd never practiced backflips with Ty Lee. She'd never…never told Zuko…

And then there he was. He appeared at her side as if he had known she was thinking about him and that was all it took to summon the man. Katara flicked her eyes over and thought she saw Paetr's form behind Zuko, maintaining a pocket of air in the midst of the water, from which the Fire Lord had emerged. Zuko's dark hair masked his eyes as he stepped between Katara and the armed waterbender. "I hope you weren't planning to use that blade on my friend."

Friend? FRIEND? She had been marveling at the broadness of his shoulders, telling her heart-rate to stop speeding so crazily at his sudden arrival – even flashbacked to the fight with Azula, his defending her from lightning, and her looking down at his face, and thinking something wonderful was about to happen – and he decided to call her his _friend_?

Well now she was angry. But with anger came renewed strength to bend the water. She now found it much easier to direct the flowing mass, and as the last edge of the water-wall passed her periphery, the waterbender lifted his knife.

And threw it at Zuko's heart.

For a moment, Katara forgot that Zuko was a master firebender, because she was convinced he was in grave danger. But with a smirk – even though she couldn't see his face, she was sure he was smirking – Zuko sucked in a breath, and _breathed fire_. A huge stream of it. The flames were so intense that not only did the ice knife evaporate directly from ice to steam, the waterbender fell to the ground and cowered in fear.

The water, in the meantime, swept like a mobile lake across the courtyard, knocking fleeing soldiers from their feet and unceremoniously dumping them out into the street. With the last of her energy, Katara took a portion of the water as it escaped the doorway and pulled it to the right. As planned, it rushed along the wall and knocked ladder after ladder away.

A few bedraggled soldiers appeared before Zuko, looking to get revenge. Somehow they had avoided or endured the water attack, and were ready to counterattack. Katara took a deep breath and was about to try bending some of the puddles at their feet when Zuko lowered his head and growled (quite sexily, at that), "Don't even think about it."

And then he spread his arms and a huge wall of flames burst from the ground, and he, a fire-demon, stood at the center of it. "You're done." He threw his arms forward and the flames cascaded toward the soldiers, at the last minute rising enough that they singed the hair on top of their heads. "RUN." Without so much as a peep, the soldiers turned and ran toward the outer door.

Toph, behind Katara, started clapping her hands. "Nice moves, there, Sparky."

But before Katara could let out a choked laugh, she heard a yell of rage behind her. She spun. Retzl was standing before her father. His mouth turned upward in a vicious grin, his eyes, wild, accenting the raged insanity into which he was spinning. Retzl's face was impassive, but her hands trembled as they lightly touched the ivory handle of a small knife that was now embedded in her stomach.

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"You were supposed to watch him!" Paetr was yelling. "Why didn't you keep him contained?" The boy was trying to get to Hari, probably to do some disservice to the man's face, but Ty Lee was – rather easily – holding him back. Zuko would have to learn that particular hold from her. It looked effortless.

Paetr was yelling at no one in particular, probably because his quick warning to watch Hari following Zuko's request for assistance had gone largely unnoticed by the others, who had each been so focused on Katara's welfare that they had neglected Hari's cunning. He'd probably struggled free of his water-bindings when Paetr's attention was drawn somewhere else.

Toph's head was bowed. She looked ashamed. It was a strange thing to see, Toph ashamed. Zuko didn't like the vision, but he couldn't blame the kid for his outburst. He'd be just as enraged if someone had hurt Katara. He could have killed the waterbender who, like the coward Hari was, had tried to hurt Katara at her most vulnerable moment. But he had stopped himself, knowing that the man's death wouldn't accomplish anything. Just as Hari's wouldn't.

Zuko marveled at Katara's form as she hunched over Retzl's still body. It was crazy how she could be in grave danger one second and be so willing to help someone in the next. He didn't know how she did it. But he loved her for it. He loved her so much it was physically painful, a pressing need in his chest that told him to run to her now and embrace her and never let go. But Retzl needed her assistance, and Zuko needed to get her to Mai as soon as she was finished.

What a great message to bring to the woman he loved. Rather than telling her of his feelings, he would have to pull her from the end of a battle, exhausted from bending a lakeful of water and healing a knife wound, to tend to the burns of a friend. But that was what was necessary. He'd have to make up for it later somehow.

"It's no-one's fault, Paetr, but Hari's."

Paetr didn't listen, and Zuko hadn't expected him to. But Zuko was careful to put himself between the boy and Hari in case he tried anything. He glanced at Katara again, now able to see her profile. Her face was drawn into a concentrated frown and her glowing, water-encased hands moved over Retzl's stomach. After minutes that stretched on into the sunset, she sat back. "She's stable. She'll be fine." She put a hand to the bridge of her nose and rubbed it. "But I have to-"

Zuko knelt at her elbow and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Katara." She jumped a little at his voice. Or was she nervous at how close he was? "Mai needs you. She's been badly burned."

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On the way to the hospital, Katara's feet felt like lead. Zuko kept at her side, but always seemed to want to sprint ahead of her. She couldn't move any faster, though, even if Mai was hurt. Katara hadn't the energy to draw from.

Without a word, Zuko suddenly stopped, earning him a look of bewilderment and annoyance. What was he stopping for? Weren't they in a hurry? She almost asked him those very questions when his hand slid around her waist and her feet were hoisted in the air. She suppressed a yell of surprise and found herself pressed very closely to Zuko's chest, her head at his neck, one of his arms under her knees, and the other around her shoulders. Too close!

But it would be an awkward hold if she didn't put her arms around his neck. She did so, but her face flamed red at the image of what they must look like to the shoppers in the street.

She decided conversation was the best way to alleviate her nerves. She was worried about Mai, anyway. "What happened to Mai? Is she alright?"

His mouth frowned a little. "No, she's not. Maka burned her pretty badly. She's unconscious, probably from the pain."

"Maka?" As Zuko moved, his heartbeat thumped against Katara's chest, almost like it was _her_ heartbeat. The thought warmed her, and she had to concentrate to follow the flow of his logic. "Who's Maka?"

"Used to be on my cabinet. Now she'll be in prison for the rest of her life. Hari sent her to kill Georg."

"What? That's horrible!" Even in her indignation she had to resist the urge to snuggle into his neck. Focus, Katara.

"Yeah. But Mai was there, and she defended him."

"And you saved her life?"

"Well, both of theirs, technically." He started. "I hope you don't think I'm bragging about that."

"The Fire Lord never brags." She yawned.

"You aren't falling asleep, are you? Katara, you need to stay awake."

"I'm awake, I'm awake. Is it really that bad?"

Zuko nodded and his chin bumped her forehead. "Sorry. Yes. She's been unconscious since it happened. Probably from the pain."

Poor Mai. But even as she mourned her friend's fate, an inkling of disappointment flitted through her mind. For before she heard that Zuko had saved Mai – well, and Georg, too – the fact that he had saved _her_ had seemed…special, somehow. But what a ridiculous thing to be annoyed about. If someone was in danger, of course Zuko would help them. Katara was unable to shake her slight annoyance, though, and when they reached the atrium of the hospital, she pushed away from him with not a little bit of haste. He resisted her attempts to get down out of his arms. "I can walk, Zuko."

"Why do you seem so mad all of a sudden?"

"I'm not mad. I'm just in a hurry to help Mai. Put me down!" When he still wouldn't let go, she did the first thing she could think of and whacked him. He dropped her and his hand went to his head.

"What was that for?"

But she was saved from answering when Doctor Gin called out to her. "Come, Katara. She needs a healer."

When Katara entered Mai's room, all thoughts of annoyance or jealousy left her mind. Mai's face was untouched, perfect as she breathed lightly in her unconscious state. But her arms from her hands to her elbows were covered in angry, red, bubbling burns that looked so painful that Katara felt like crying. Georg sat at Mai's side, careful not to touch her, his fists clenched under his chin, his eyes locked on her face. The man looked like he had been crying so much that his body no longer had the materials to conjure up tears.

He looked at her when she entered and his eyes told her a thousand tales of misery. "Help her. Please."

Katara sat down, drew some water from a basin on a side table, and set to work.

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**Poor Mai. Hope she's okay. And somehow the thought of Zuko bumping Katara's head with his chin makes me smile. D'awwww.**


	28. Chapter 28

**Wooooo Chapter 28! I'm way too nice to you guys. **

**Sorry it's shorter; but the next chapter just might be The Chapter so I hope that makes up for it. In fact, let me just ease your concerns, chapter 29 IS The Chapter. hehehehe...  
**

**ForgottenConstellations – yeah, I, at least, thought there were Zutara hints in the movie. But I love Zutara so much I might have been reading too much into things. And yes, Dev Patel is significantly older than the actress who plays Katara. **

**Meegan – Ha. Zuko growling is totally sexy.**

**In this chapter: Some Mai, some Georg, some Katara, some Zuko; not necessarily in that order. But first, some Aang. **

**Thanks for the reviews! Yay reviews. **

**Chapter 28**

Aang sat in the hospital atrium next to Toph and Ty Lee, listening to the soothing sounds of water trickling out of a fountain and hoping Katara would be able to help Mai. Toph's arms were crossed, but she looked downcast. Aang had heard from Ty Lee that Toph felt responsible for Retzl's injury. But the girl was fine, now; just resting in one of the hospital rooms without her friend, though he had raised hell in his attempts to stay at her side. Paetr, unfortunately, had been detained by the Dai Li for questioning. Aang would have to sort all that out later. Maybe an extradition to Hertzer would work…

He gazed over at Toph's inclined profile. She looked as depressed as he had ever seen her. Why did she feel responsible for something that hadn't happened?

"Toph, are you alright? Retzl's fine."

Toph leaned her head on his shoulder. "Can we not talk about this right now? I know it wasn't my fault. Just…give me a hug or something."

Aang blushed at the request, both that she had asked for a hug in the first place and that she had said it in the presence of Ty Lee. He drew her into his embrace and held onto her, worried that at any moment she'd yell at him for being too demonstrative. But she just sighed and leaned against him.

Ty Lee piped up, her usual cheerfulness dampened by worry. "Do you think Mai will be alright, Aang?"

"I don't know. Katara's a good healer, but it took so long for her to get here." Toph tensed at this, but Aang held her more tightly and she calmed down.

"Katara's a _great_ healer, you mean." It was Sokka. The tall, ponytailed man sat down on Aang's right and let out a long sigh. "Well, glad I missed all the action. Way to tell me what was happening, guys."

"Oh, I'm _so_ sorry we didn't have your _boomerang_ skills in that fray." Toph quipped. She was getting better already.

"Quiet, Toph. I might have come up with an awesome plan or something. You don't know."

"Right. Better than sweeping an entire battalion of soldiers from the courtyard with a lake full of water?"

"Eh. Maybe not _that_ awesome. That's pretty awesome." Sokka looked sideways down one of the hallways. "She's gonna be pretty tired after all this." He looked back at Aang. "By the way, where's Zuko?"

"Apparently Katara banished him from Mai's room because he was 'bothering' her. He claims he didn't do anything but stand behind her and watch. I think he's pacing out on the balcony," Toph said.

"Ah, the prince is banished again," Aang quipped. No-one but Sokka laughed.

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Katara was exhausted. She was finished with Mai's burns. But her face threatened to crumple when she remembered the scars that remained. If only she had been able to get to the hospital sooner.

But thoughts like these were useless. What was was, and nothing could change it. She only hoped Mai would be able to forgive her for her tardiness.

As she wandered down the corridor towards Retzl's room – she wanted to check on her before she could sleep, herself – she noticed Iroh walking towards her. He smiled sympathetically at her and it was all she could do not to burst into tears at the gesture. But as she was about to greet him he wrapped her up in a warm bear-hug. "Well done, Katara. Well done."

When he let go, he patted her side, gave her a meaningful look, and continued past her. She raised an eyebrow in confusion. What was that for? She was too tired to figure it out. Instead she walked on toward her destination.

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For the fifth time tonight Mai held her arms up for inspection. She sighed a little, but she was at least becoming accustomed enough to the sight that shuddering sobs didn't force their way to her throat anymore. She didn't know why the angry, swirling, plasticky burn marks that twisted their way up her forearms bothered her so much. She had never considered herself a vain person. But there was something sad in the irrevocable – in the sudden, wrenching change that could never be undone.

But there was no more pain. She thanked Katara for that. She would always thank Katara for that.

All Mai could remember from the clash with Maka was heat, searing light, searing pain, and darkness. And Georg. Screaming Georg. Wonderful Georg. She looked to the chair next to her bed where he was sitting, elbows on his knees, staring at the ground, bleary-eyed yet refusing to fall asleep. For a moment she reveled in watching him undetected. His short-cropped brown hair hung in disarray over his forehead and curled slightly at his collar. So many times she had twisted her fingers around that one lock that never seemed to stay down. Her lips curved at the sight of her unshaven, unkempt ruffian.

"You're zoning again, Georg." Mai was surprised that her voice sounded so steady. "Why don't you get some sleep?"

Georg looked up at her, his deep eyes rimmed with red but still somehow able to set her heart beating again, as if it had been stopped before that moment. He chuckled, but the worry never left his countenance. "How is it that the savior is worrying about the welfare of the person who sat in his cell and did nothing?"

Mai impulsively shook her head. "Georg. Please stop saying that. You couldn't have done anything. You were locked in."

Georg looked down.

Mai tried again. "Please, Georg. I don't want you to blame yourself. I don't blame you." No response. Suppressing her ridiculous thought that Georg wouldn't want her touching him with her scarred arms, she reached her hand to his shoulder. "I love you."

Georg grabbed her arm then, delicately, but more as if he didn't want to hurt her than that he was repulsed. When he looked back up, his guilty expression was gone, replaced by an intensity that Mai would have jumped at had she been less in love with him. Georg gazed at her arm, directly, and stroked a finger along one of the lines in the scar tissue. "And I thought that I was the one with a life expectancy of thirty," he mused.

Mai remembered that conversation. It was the one in which Mai had accidentally intimated that she loved him. She wondered at the fact that those words were so easy to say now.

Her small smile at the memory faltered when Georg started planting light kisses from the inside of her elbow up toward her wrist. When his mouth curved around to her fingers, he brought up his free hand and slipped an opal ring on her finger.

Mai was speechless. Her smile widened so much that her cheeks began to hurt from the strain. Unbidden tears clouded her vision until she blinked and sent them down her cheeks to the corners of her mouth, seasoning the taste of her next words. "I thought you forgot."

"Never. But you never answered me."

"You never actually asked," she shot back, punctuating her smirk with a sniffle.

Georg threw her a roguish grin; one of her favorite expressions of his. "Will you?"

Mai threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.

The kiss was cut short by the sound of a crashing plate and a frustrated yell.

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Why was it that Zuko had this knack for interrupting his friends making out? When he saw that Mai and Georg were…occupied, he had tried to escape without notice. But of _course_ there had to be a metal tea set sitting on a very rickety little side table, and of _course_ that side table had to be placed right next to the doorway. He had bumped into it during his escape. And now there was nothing for it but to turn and face the two interruptees.

"Sorry. I didn't mean…anyway. I'm, uh…glad you're alright, Mai."

"Thank you, Zuko." And then Mai smiled. Mai! The Mai who didn't even crack a smile at any of Zuko's well-crafted jokes! What was happening to the world? "I'm doing much better. See?" Mai held up her arms. Zuko knew what those scars meant to a person. He couldn't comprehend how she could smile on the day of the deed that had caused them.

But Mai continued, contemplating her scars. "You know, this would be poignant if I were still dating _you_, Zuko."

Zuko was nonplussed. Huh?

Mai must have caught his confusion, because she tried to explain. "Because of your scar. The scar on your face."

Zuko's mouth dropped open. "Was that a _joke_?" _Mai_ was capable of humor?

She looked irritated. "What kind of question is that?"

Zuko let out an incredulous sigh and stepped up beside Georg, clapping a hand on the man's shoulder. "You're good for her, Georg." Mai glared needles at him, so he asked the question he'd been meaning to ask initially. "Uh, by the way, have either of you seen Katara?"

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Zuko found her curled up on an uncomfortable-looking chair in Retzl's room. Retzl was asleep, so Zuko quietly pulled a chair up next to Katara and sat down. He reached for her forehead and smoothed her hair back, smiling lightly at her sleeping face. "You're wonderful, you know that?" He ran the back of his hand along her cheek, his smile fading as he lost himself in gazing at her.

After a while, Katara started humming in her sleep. He knew the song. It was the Fire Nation song he had transcribed for her in a letter, so long ago. At the muted melody from the sleeping nymph, Zuko realized that he wanted to kiss her so much that he actually leaned over her and placed his hands on the arms of the chair, trapping her dreaming form.

But instead of kissing her, he bumped his forehead against hers and sighed. "And I kind of have something to tell you."

"It's always better if she's awake when you tell her you love her, dude," Sokka whispered, wandering in. "But seriously, she needs her rest."

Zuko almost groaned in annoyance but stopped himself before he could wake either of the sleepers.

"You're right," he whispered back.

"Of course I am, Fire Lord. Be a dear and carry her to a bed?"

"Did you just call me 'dear'?" Zuko lifted Katara to his chest, carrying her like a baby with her legs at his waist and her head on his shoulder. She slept on. Even though Sokka's whisper-arguing was so loud he was sure she could hear it.

"Mayhap. I have been known to call people 'dear' from time to time."

"Well don't ever call me that again," Zuko hissed.

"Ooh, Mr. I'm So Chicken I Whisper My Love Into Katara's Ear When She's Sleeping is gonna take me down! I'm so scared!"

Even though it wasn't that funny, Zuko muffled a snort of laughter in Katara's shoulder.

"Don't blow your nose on my sister."

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**Okay, now all Katara has to do is WAKE UP and KISS HIM. Easy, right?**


	29. Chapter 29

**Awright, here it is: The Chapter! I have to tell you I had this basically written from the very beginning. I've been waiting with bated breath to unleash it on everyone. Hope you like it! **

**Anonymous I Think – Sorry I made you cry! Here, have a tissue. This chapter should help!**

**Bridget Friste – Zuko should totally get a kitten. That would be an explosion of cuteness.**

**Thank you thank you thank for all the reviews!**

**Chapter 29**

When Katara woke up, she was lying by herself in a hospital bed. Only the topmost blanket covered her, and when she removed it she realized she was still dressed in her teaching robes. Who had carried her here? She shifted her gaze to the window. It was dark outside. She didn't know what time it was.

With a sigh, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood. She was still a little tired, but the nap had refreshed her. She stretched and smoothed the wrinkles from her clothing. But her hands stopped short when they felt something in one of her side pockets. Something that crinkled.

She reached inside and pulled out a letter. An old letter. It had obviously been opened and read, crumpled up and smoothed out and read again. But why was it in her pocket? She looked at the front of it, where the person to whom it was intended was written. _To Katara._ To Katara. To her? And it was in Zuko's hand!

It was then that she remembered Iroh's strange look and the pat he gave her side as he passed her in the hallway. Had he given her this? Maybe it was one of Zuko's letters from when he was in the Fire Nation, and he had forgotten to send it. Nice of Iroh to get it to her. Strange that he thought it so important that he give it to her tonight, of all nights.

Curious, she unfolded the parchment and held it up to a dim flame that sat on her side table. It was such a paltry candle that she had to lean quite close to see anything. But what she deciphered dropped her heart into her stomach.

_Katara._

_I love you. I love you and I want to kiss you every time I see you_-

She stopped when she heard footsteps in the hall behind her and a gruff voice – Zuko's voice – speaking to someone; probably a nurse or a doctor. In her haste to conceal the letter, she tipped the candle so a moderate amount of wax spilled onto her fingers. She cried out in surprise and the letter fell to the floor.

The door slid open and Zuko was next to her in a moment. He took her hand in his, rubbed the wax off, and examined it. She just stared at his calloused hands and felt heat rushing into her cheeks. "Oh, it's nothing. I'll just-" She tried to pull away but he gripped more firmly and pulled her back.

"Let me see, Katara. Hold still." He relit the now snuffed candle with a flick of his wrist and held her hand up to the light. There they stood, Zuko, tall, solid, grasping her left hand and focusing on it; Katara, small, soft, leaning the backs of her knees against the bed for support and just staring at his face. He loved her. He loved her!

His thumb moved along the edge of her wrist and she clenched the fingers of her good hand against her skirt, willing herself not to say anything. Her face was now beet red, and she desperately wanted to pull her hand away and run, but then his hand moved to slide her sleeve up her arm and she lost all thought completely. Now everything was his touch against the skin of her forearm, slowly gliding from the wrist to the sensitive skin inside her elbow. Katara bit her lip, eyes fixed on his hand as he spoke. "The wax didn't spill too far. Good."

His voice was low and had an edge to it as if he was trying to keep something concealed from her. Zuko's hand closed around her arm and he pushed her to sit on the bed, turning and walking away to open a drawer in a bureau against the wall. Katara shivered slightly and stood back up, turning toward the door, cold at his absence but wanting desperately to hide her flushed face. After a moment, she heard the drawer close and his footsteps as he came up behind her. Her back was hot at his presence and his breath fluttered against her ear as he murmered something softly. "Here. Let me put this on for you."

She didn't move. She couldn't. She flinched in surprise when he placed a hand firmly on her left shoulder and turned her so she was half facing him. She kept her face turned away, to the side. He paused, but didn't say anything and slid his hand again down her forearm to reach her burned fingers. His own fingers brushed her palm, her thumb, her wrist as he tied the bandage, and she shivered again for quite a different reason but brought her good hand to her mouth and pretended to cough, hoping Zuko didn't notice.

At the same time she also hoped that Zuko wouldn't remember that she could easily heal the burn herself, because then his hands wouldn't be touching her anymore. Or maybe he thought she had healed enough for one day.

"There. It's done," he said. The depth had left his voice and he was slipping back into normal tones. "Katara?" She shut her eyes and kept her head turned. She couldn't speak. She couldn't even open her mouth, because then the truth would come pouring out. Zuko stiffened and stood straight, stepping back. He cleared his throat. ""I'd, uh…better go. The Dai Li want to question Hari, and I want to make sure he tells the truth. I'm...glad you're okay." He paused. "Well. You should probably get more sleep. You've had quite a day." He paused again, as if considering saying more, before clapping his hands against his thighs and moving to pass her towards the door.

On impulse, Katara spun, intending to grab his hand to stop him. Her timing was off, though, and she ended up whacking him on the back. He turned, confusion on his face. "_Why_ do you keep hitting me?" But he stopped, because now he could see her face. Now he knew she was blushing.

"I have to tell you, I never, never once loved Aang." Oh, now there was no turning back. "And I've wanted to tell you for years, for more than five _years_ something that until a moment ago I was too afraid to say." Zuko continued staring at her, so she pressed on. "Something I found out by just looking at you after you saved me from Azula's lightning." She laughed lightly at the thought. "Funny how a simple look can confirm something so important, and yet one can take so long to do something about it."

Zuko still stood about two feet away from her. But he finally spoke. "Funny." He ran his hand through his hair. "I was going to-" But he stopped himself and considered her, something in his face changing. What was he thinking? "You keep saying 'something.' What 'something' do you have to tell me?" His voice was lower again.

When she didn't reply, he stepped towards her, suddenly so close to her that his bangs brushed her forehead. "Katara?" But she was made mute by his nearness and looked down.

Zuko spoke again. "That look. So long ago." He slipped his hands around her waist and pulled her lightly against him. At the familiarity of the gesture, she gasped and blushed even more hotly. She pressed her hands to his chest and fixed her eyes on his neck, watching the movement of his adam's apple as he spoke. "Funny enough, I didn't know for certain then. It wasn't until I got your letter, looked at Mai, and just…knew. I knew that what I felt for her was nothing compared to…" He stopped and sucked in a deep breath. His other hand sought her face, and he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Compared to…?" She looked up and his eyes locked on hers.

"What I felt for you." Katara remembered the crumpled letter she had just read. Even as her heartbeat thundered in her ears, she smiled a bit slyly, some coyness appearing with the confidence that Zuko was hers.

"And how was that?" Her left hand was now a pointing finger painting a small circle on his collarbone.

He swallowed and spoke in a gruff, strained voice. "Katara, I've loved you for so long I feel like I grew up knowing it. Like I knew it before I even met you." He growled. "I shouldn't have listened to Aang back then. I should have just declared myself to you and let what was supposed to happen happen. And if you don't stop touching my neck-"

In the midst of her sheer joy at his confession of love, Katara faltered. "Listened to Aang?" She stopped her circling finger, confused. Zuko leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose, bringing back vividly that night in Hari's warehouse. She clenched her hands around the silky material of his robe in spite of her slight burn.

"Not important."

"Who says it's not important? It sounds pretty-" He kissed her cheek and she paused, breathless. "…important." Zuko started nuzzling her neck.

"I guarantee it's not vital information right now." Zuko's arms had tightened around her waist and were almost the only reason she was still standing. His lips followed the curve of her neck and rested in the hollow, and he flicked his tongue out slightly. She threw her arms over his shoulders and let out a startled yelp, but he continued kissing, smiling into her skin.

She bit her lip. "Um…not…vital? Are you…sure?" She would have to remember to bring this topic up again when she was less distracted.

"Remember this? That night in the warehouse?" Katara hmmmed and Zuko rubbed his nose against her breastbone as he raised his head. "I loved you then, too." He kissed her neck. "I wanted to kiss you everywhere, forever. Escaping was just an excuse."

"I thought…I mean, I didn't know if you…um…everywhere?" Katara was losing coherence again. Zuko pulled back and kissed her chin, sliding his mouth up until it hovered over hers. His eyes were hooded pools of amber and she was held captive by them.

"Everywhere. Especially…"

"Yes?"

"Katara?"

What? Just kiss me! "Yes?"

"Do I have permission to-"

But before he could finish his question, she grabbed his face and pulled his lips against hers.

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**WOOO Zutara! One more chapter to go! If you have any questions that haven't been answered that you are dying to know, tell me and I'll try to answer them!**


	30. Chapter 30

**The last chapter! Gasp. It's finally here.**

**ForgottenConstellations and Corselli – I would LOVE fanart! That would make me so happy. :D I'll definitely post links to my profile, if that's okay with you. And Corselli, I checked out your account and I'm impressed! I especially liked your piece on Romans 8:38-39. I love that passage. **_**Neither death nor life…**_

**Thank you so much for the reviews, everyone. They're the reason I've been able to complete this!**

**Chapter 30 – Epilogue**

"Uncle Georg, the boat is sailing in twenty minutes! Get your bags packed, already!"

Georg groaned and sat up from the chair he had been dozing in. "You little minx. Do you have to be so loud?"

"If I'm trying to wake you up, yes." It was Retzl. She had a peculiarly piercing yell when she wanted to use one.

Georg closed his eyes and rubbed them, smiling when he heard a familiar step at the door and smelled a familiar perfume. "Mai. You put Retzl up to yelling in my ears?"

"You deserved it, hon. Please pack, though, we really do have to leave. Like now."

"Why don't you ever get mad at him? He's so obstinate!" Retzl started wandering the room, looking at all the knick-knacks and trinkets Georg had bought for Mai.

"How do you even know that word? Aren't you like, twelve?"

"I'm sixteen, Uncle Georg. I could even get married if I wanted to. I certainly know the meaning of the word 'obstinate.'"

Georg stretched and stood. "Ah, but do you know the meaning of the word 'disaffected?'"

"Georg, be nice to your niece."

"Yes, be nice to your niece." Retzl grinned around the repetition and Georg ruffled her hair. He'd miss the kid. And she would always be a kid to him. These past few months had been wonderful, spending time with the niece he never knew he had.

"Where's your mother?"

"Oh, probably off making eyes at General Iroh."

Mai sighed. "Stop saying things you don't know to be true, Retzl."

"Well, they do spend a lot of time together."

"Alright, out with you. Your mother probably needs help at the tea shop, anyway. I'll help your Uncle pack his things."

"Well, fine. But have a safe trip. And remember, you promised to come back and visit soon!" Retzl gave Georg and Mai each a hug and then ran from the room.

"Are you sure it's alright for you not to say goodbye to your sister?"

Georg laughed. "She hates goodbyes. Avoids them like the plague. I'll be sure to write out a nice goodbye to make you happy, though."

When Mai walked past him to reach his belongings, he grabbed her waist and pulled her into his lap. She protested a little, but then sank into his embrace and sighed, resigned for the moment. "Twenty minutes is not a long time, Georg. And you have a ridiculous amount of clothing."

"I am a king, my queen."

"Not a queen yet."

"Well, we are married, so technically-"

Mai sighed. "An elopement means nothing to your citizens. They need to see you publicly married. So I'm not a queen yet."

"Until wedding number two."

"Yes. But I am your wife." She smiled happily when she said it and squirmed out of his grasp. "Now help me help you pack or I will show you how a future queen punishes her disobedient subjects."

"Ooh, show me now!"

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Retzl ran toward the tea shop, smiling at her Uncle's teasing of her Aunt. She wished Paetr was as forthright about his feelings. She knew he loved her, yes, but he hadn't said anything about it for a month, now. Maybe he was waiting for her to grow a little taller. Not to mention he was still being held in a low-security cell.

She smiled in pride at the thought of him refusing to be extradited to Hertzer to face a lesser charge. As it was, he would be in prison for about a year for the attempt on Hakoda's life. Retzl had to admit that while his imprisonment saddened her, it was far less of a punishment than such an act deserved. She knew she had the Avatar and the Fire Lord to thank for the Dai Li's leniency. Hakoda himself had spoken on behalf of Paetr during the trial.

As she ran toward her mother's tea shop, she reveled in the warmth of the sunshine. The Bending school's exhibition was tonight, and she was excited at the prospect of demonstrating her skills for her mother. Her Uncle had seen all the practices up until today, so she wasn't too depressed that he would miss it for travel. Apparently a King couldn't be too long from his country.

Which made her wonder why the Fire Lord was still here. Wasn't he a king of sorts?

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"No, Tami, the second turn is clockwise, not counter-clockwise." Rui huffed. "And your arms aren't straight. They should be straight for this part, not all…" Pale. Pink. Soft. "Wobbly."

"You don't have to order me around, Rui. I know how to do it. I'm just tired, that's all."

"Well wake up, then. The exhibition is tonight! In like four hours! And we're still messing this part up!"

But as their duet continued, Rui's nerves at being so close to her got the better of him and he tripped.

"Ha! See? You're tired, too!"

"Shut up."

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"Twinkles, I'm busy. I told you that. My students-"

"Have practiced every day for the past month for this thing. I think they can handle it."

"But-"

"No buts. You need to eat just as much as I do. And it's so much nicer to eat...together, right?" Aang blushed a bit at this. He still felt like he was embarrassing Toph whenever he said anything at all demonstrative.

Toph colored faintly, too, but didn't balk at his words. "Yes, it is." The acknowledgment was grudging. "Ugh, I feel so nervous for them. I never feel nervous." Her fists were clenched, so Aang grabbed one of her hands and smiled at her.

"Ah? Even when we first kissed?"

"I told you never to refer to that particular event, Avatar."

"Oh-ho-hooo, so now I'm the Avatar, huh?"

"Well, that _is_ your title."

"That's not what you called me yesterday when we-"

"Stop. Talking. About. Kissing. Me."

"Why?" Aang glanced around the courtyard. "No-one here but the fish in the pond." He moved closer to her so his face shaded hers.

"So help me, Aang-"

But he grabbed her shoulders and grinned, inching his face closer to hers. Just as he was about to kiss her, he pulled her into a hug instead.

"I don't like predator Aang," Toph said. Her voice was muffled in his shoulder, but he could tell she was flustered.

"But it's so fun confusing you." He kissed her cheek and pulled back, smiling at her in spite of her inability to see him. "Food?"

She sighed. "Food. But not for too long."

"Great!" He grabbed her hand and pulled her off toward the market.

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It was evening, the night of the exhibition. Zuko smiled at Aang and Toph across the decorated city square. Toph was concentrating on her students' movements as they earthbended long mounds of rock that began to resemble some sort of animal. Sculpting with earthbending? Zuko had never thought of Toph as particularly artistic.

Aang must have noticed his expression because when Zuko caught his eye again, he shrugged and shot a look that said "Who knew, huh?" Zuko laughed, getting a chuckle from Aang, which was cut off abruptly when Toph elbowed him. Zuko thought he saw her mouth the words "I'm concentrating!" But he couldn't be sure.

His gaze shifted from Aang and Toph to Ty Lee. Her students had gone first, and she was standing in the center of the lot of them, shaking their shoulders in turn and congratulating them enthusiastically. They had been quite good, actually, putting on a display consisting of body-bending rather than element-bending. It had almost been like going to the circus.

And then his gaze landed on Katara. She was giving last minute instructions to her students prior to their turn. His heart ached at the sight of her. Since the night of his declaration, he had been so busy with politicking – making sure Hari was imprisoned for a long time, that Paetr was let off easily, that Georg was exonerated – and she had been so focused on healing and teaching and planning for this exhibition, that it seemed like they had barely been able to see each other during the past months.

When they had seen each other, life was wonderful. But inevitably he would have some meeting to attend, or she would have a class to teach. And whenever she left him, his chest ached as if she had physically torn out a piece of him and took it with her wherever she went.

This needed a cure. They couldn't keep living separate lives. At least, he couldn't stand it for much longer. Add to that that Zuko had to return to the Fire Nation soon. Maka had to be put on trial in her own country. She had requested it, and as a Fire Nation citizen, it was her right. Zuko had to accompany her; he didn't trust anyone else to contain her properly.

But he hoped to bring someone else with him, as well.

He suggested as much when they were walking out by the lake after the exhibition had ended. "Katara, have you…have you ever thought of starting another bending school somewhere else?"

She entwined her fingers in his and swung his arm as they walked. The moon was full and she was acting relatively energetic. He liked kissing her when the moon was full. He almost did just that when she asked him a question. "Another bending school? Like where?"

Zuko cleared his throat. He couldn't just say 'in the Fire Nation.' That would be too obvious. But she pushed him against a tree and looked into his eyes and he just spoke. "The Fire Nation." He mentally kicked himself. Stupid thing to say.

Fireworks exploded the sky in the distance, their muted booms sounding like a storm on the way. The tree shaded her face from the moon, so he couldn't tell how she took his suggestion. After an eternity, she spoke again. By the sound of her voice, he thought she was grinning. "Oh…well, if the incentive was big enough, I might be persuaded." She leaned into him. "I'd need a solid contract, though."

The smell of her hair filled his nose and he pressed his lips against her head, taking the scent in, reveling in her. Just her. She moved her arms behind his back and slid them up, curving them around his shoulders and pulling him down towards her.

"For instance, I'd need free access to a certain Fire Lord's room at all times."

He blushed, a wide grin splitting his face. "Of course." He leaned down and kissed her, first a longer kiss, then a short peck. By the warmth of her face, she was blushing.

"And I'd need a new title."

He hmmed and rubbed her nose with his. "Surprising, but doable." He kissed her again, opening his mouth against her lips. But she pulled back to speak again, gripping his collar as she leaned into his ear.

"I kind of fancy your name, actually."

"Indeed…" Zuko turned to kiss her again but stopped short. "…what?"

Katara continued. "And the contract should probably stipulate at least two children. One boy and one girl, I should think."

Zuko's mouth dropped open. "One boy…and one girl…"

Katara let out a muffled laugh, but talked again in a very businesslike manner. "You can help with the names, of course."

"Of…course." One word could be used to describe Zuko's thoughts at this moment: _Huh_?

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Katara was a bit annoyed that Zuko wasn't responding. It wasn't that hard a concept to understand. She'd worked on what she'd say for days before this, and all he could do was repeat her words back to her. She pressed her body into him again. "Hey. Why'd you stop with the kissing?"

"Katara…"

She kissed his chin; his cheek; his lips. "Zuko, you aren't holding up your end of this make-out session."

"Katara, did you just ask me to marry you?"

"Not in so many words…"

"Do you want to?"

Ah. There it was. A slow smile spread across her face and she reached up and smoothed his hair back, gazing into his eyes. "I do."

Then he did kiss her, with so much passion, in fact, that she was afraid of being consumed, and then she threw caution to the wind and was consumed, her heart and her mind suddenly no longer hers, but his, all his, just as his heart and his mind belonged to her.

Just then, Katara heard someone cough politely. She broke away from Zuko.

Sokka stood about ten feet away, his hand at the back of his head, a sheepish expression on his face. "Oh, sorry to interrupt." He laughed nervously. "Just thought I'd get my congratulations in before the rest of the world hears about it."

"Sokka!"

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**That's it, my friends. The End. Wow, that took up my whole summer! And I loved every minute of it. Thank you, all, for your support and your comments. They were wonderfully helpful! I may write another part to this, but if I do, it won't be for awhile. I'm not sure there's enough of a story there, anyway, but we'll see :).**

**A few extra tidbits I wasn't able to include in the main storyline:**

**-Because of the timeskip, I didn't look into how Zuko responded to the letter. Katara would have picked it up, and read the rest of it, yes, but what would Zuko have said when he saw it? Kinda wish I had explored that, but oh, well. **

**-Georg was in hiding before he was king because of Bonhoff's instructions. When Bonhoff died, he took the throne because he was (a) the rightful heir and (b) still alive (kind of necessary to be king).**

**-This story had exactly _9_ interrupted romantic moments (the majority by Sokka, the numbskull), and exactly _1_ fake-out-make-out.**

**-I really like the Mai/Georg pairing. More than I thought I would. So kudos to characters who fool you into writing bigger parts for them than you intended.**

**-Maka's only reason to assassinate Georg was for the glory of it all, but I left it ambiguous as to whether she regretted her actions or not. Maybe she is reformed later on; maybe she ends up like Azula. I'm not committed either way.**

**-Ty Lee will find someone. Just not in the timeline that this story covers. I'm sure she's quite content being single for now.**

**-Naru stole the show. **

**-Onward, H.M.S. Zutara!**


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